In brief
In a shocking incident, Russian general Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov was killed in a car bomb explosion in Moscow. Authorities are investigating possible links to Ukrainian intelligence services, following a series of targeted attacks on military officials since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
A Russian general has been killed in a car bombing in Moscow, officials have said.
Russia's Investigative Committee stated that Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov died on Monday morning when an explosive device planted under his vehicle detonated.
Sarvarov, aged 56, was the head of the armed forces' operational training department. The committee revealed that one theory being investigated is the involvement of Ukrainian intelligence services, though Ukraine has yet to comment on the incident.
Investigators have been dispatched to the location, which was in a parking lot near an apartment block in the southern part of Russia's capital. Photos from the scene show a badly damaged white car, the doors blown out, alongside other vehicles.
This attack is part of a troubling trend, as a number of military officials have been targeted in Moscow since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Notable incidents include the deaths of Gen Yaroslav Moskalik in a car bomb attack in April and Gen Igor Kirillov in December 2024, who was killed by a device hidden in a scooter, allegedly by Ukraine’s security services.
As a policy, Ukraine does not officially admit to or claim responsibility for attacks on Russian officials.
