A senior Russian military commander has been assassinated in a targeted car bombing in the heart of Moscow, sparking a major investigation and accusations against Ukrainian intelligence services.
Explosion Rocks Southern Moscow
The attack occurred on Monday morning at approximately 7am on Yaseneva Street in the south of the Russian capital. According to official reports, an explosive device planted under the vehicle detonated while the driver was inside, causing a devastating blast in a residential parking area.
The victim was identified as Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, a high-ranking officer serving as the head of the operational training directorate within the Russian armed forces' general staff. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Investigators Point to Ukrainian Involvement
Svetlana Petrenko, the official spokesperson for Russia's Investigative Committee, confirmed the general's death and outlined the ongoing probe. "Investigators are pursuing numerous lines of enquiry regarding the murder," Petrenko stated. "One of these is that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services."
This incident follows a pattern of similar attacks on Russian military figures. In a notable precedent from December 2024, Ukraine's security service claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the chief of Russia's nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces. That attack used a bomb concealed on an electric scooter outside his apartment, also killing his assistant, Ilya Polikarpov.
A Pattern of Targeted Strikes
The killing of General Sarvarov represents a significant escalation in covert operations targeting Russia's military leadership on its own soil. The method—a concealed explosive device targeting a personal vehicle—mirrors tactics used in previous operations attributed to Ukrainian agencies.
Russian news outlets have provided extensive coverage of the scene, showing investigators examining the wreckage. The attack underscores the ongoing shadow war extending far beyond the front lines of the conflict in Ukraine, bringing violence directly to the streets of Moscow.
As the investigation continues, authorities are likely to heighten security for other senior officials. The event marks one of the most audacious strikes against the Russian military establishment in recent months and is set to intensify diplomatic and security tensions between Moscow and Kyiv.
