MOSCOW , Russia ( CNN ) -- The mayor of the capital of Russia 's North Ossetia region was killed Wednesday when his car came under gunfire , officials said . Russian police stand near the car of assassinated Vladikavkaz Mayor Vitaly Karayev . Vitaly Karayev , the mayor of Vladikavkaz , was seriously hurt when his car was fired upon Wednesday morning , and he later died from gunshot wounds , the North Ossetian internal ministry told CNN . Authorities do not have a motive for the attack , North Ossetian President Taimuraz Mamsurov said . `` I do n't even have any theories concerning the incident , '' the president told the Interfax news agency . `` The man had just started working in this office . '' North Ossetia and the rest of the Caucasus region have been plagued with violence and political instability over the years . North Ossetia borders Georgia 's South Ossetia region , where a conflict erupted between Georgia and Russia in August . The area also borders the long-turbulent breakaway region of Chechnya . Earlier this month , a suicide bomber targeted a minibus unloading passengers at a market in Vladikavkaz , killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 40 others . Last month , the deputy mayor of Vladikavkaz was injured when a bomb exploded in his car . -- CNN 's Zarifmo Aslamshoyeva contributed to this report .
The mayor , Vitaly Karayev , died from gunshot wounds . Comment: Area is near where a conflict erupted between Georgia and Russia in August . North Ossetia also borders the long-turbulent breakaway region of Chechnya .