Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has ordered the police to rapidly investigate the death of Belarusian journalist Pavel Sheremet.

"I have ordered the law enforcement authorities to immediately investigate this crime. The culprits must be punished," he wrote on Facebook.

Poroshenko extended condolences to the family and friends of the journalist. "An awful tragedy has happened in Kyiv. It is a shock; there are no other words to describe this. I personally knew Pavel. My condolences to the family and friends," Poroshenko said.

Journalist Pavel Sheremet was killed in a car explosion on Wednesday morning. There is preliminary information that a bomb went off inside the car.