A Russian lieutenant general was killed in Moscow monday morning by a car bomb, marking the latest in a string of attacks targeting key figures linked too the conflict in Ukraine as reported by the Irish Times. Fanil Sarvarov, head of the armed forces’ operational training department, died when an explosive device detonated under his vehicle, prompting an investigation focusing on potential Ukrainian involvement. The incident underscores escalating security concerns within Russia amid its ongoing invasion, following similar attacks on othre high-ranking officials in recent months.
CNN
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A Russian lieutenant general died Monday morning in Moscow after a car bomb exploded, the latest in a series of attacks targeting high-ranking military officials. Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the incident, but Russian investigators are considering the possibility of Ukrainian involvement.
Fanil Sarvarov, who headed the armed forces’ operational training department, was killed when an explosive device detonated under his vehicle, according to a statement released by the Russian Investigative Committee.
“Investigators are exploring various motives for the murder. One line of inquiry focuses on the possibility that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services,” the committee added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was “immediately informed” of Sarvarov’s death through security service channels, the Kremlin stated.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several prominent Russians have died in Moscow as a result of explosions or targeted shootings, with suspicion often falling on Ukrainian security services. The attacks highlight the escalating security risks within Russia as the conflict continues.
State-run Russian media published video footage Monday showing a severely damaged vehicle in a Moscow parking lot in a middle-class residential area.
According to the state news agency TASS, Sarvarov had led the training department for nine years. He previously organized and oversaw operations in Syria, where Russian forces supported the Assad regime.
Other high-ranking Russian officials have been killed in similar attacks in Moscow. In April, Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, a deputy head of the main operational department of the General Staff, died in a car bombing near Moscow.
One year ago, Igor Kirillov, the general in charge of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, was killed when an explosive device placed on a motorcycle was detonated near the entrance to a residential building.
Ukraine quickly claimed responsibility for Kirillov’s death.
Among other fatalities is Armen Sarkisyan, the founder of a pro-Russian militia group, described by Ukraine as a “criminal mastermind,” who died in a bombing in central Moscow in February of this year.
Several prominent political figures have also been killed, including Darya Dugina, a prominent figure in the Russian nationalist movement, in 2022. Vladlen Tatarsky, an influential pro-war blogger, died in a bombing at a St. Petersburg cafe in April 2023.
This story has been updated with additional information.
