A senior Russian military officer was killed after a bomb exploded in his car in Moscow, Russian officials said, in a rare and high-profile attack that has raised fresh security concerns inside the Russian capital. Investigators said the explosive device was planted in or underneath the vehicle and detonated as the general was traveling, killing him at the scene or shortly afterward.
Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that a criminal case has been opened into murder and the illegal trafficking of explosives. Officials said forensic teams were examining the blast site and analyzing CCTV footage from the surrounding area to determine how the device was placed and who may have been involved. The committee did not immediately disclose details about the type of explosive used or whether suspects had been identified.
State media identified the victim as a serving Russian general, describing him as a senior figure within the armed forces. Russian authorities said he had been targeted deliberately, suggesting the attack was carefully planned. The killing is among the most serious attacks on a high-ranking military official in Moscow in recent years.
While investigators have not publicly named those responsible, Russian officials and pro-Kremlin commentators suggested the attack could be linked to the ongoing war in Ukraine. In previous similar incidents, Moscow has accused Ukrainian intelligence services or allied groups of carrying out acts of sabotage inside Russia. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the bombing, and no independent confirmation of responsibility has been made.
The explosion prompted heightened security measures in parts of the capital, with police increasing patrols and conducting additional vehicle checks. Analysts say the killing may intensify pressure on Russian security agencies and could lead to further crackdowns or retaliatory actions.
Targeted attacks using explosives have occurred periodically in Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine, but they are relatively rare in Moscow and seldom involve senior military figures. The latest incident is likely to deepen public unease and underscore the extent to which the conflict has spilled beyond the battlefield and into Russia’s largest cities.
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