Moscow Car Bomb Kills Russian General, Investigators Examine Ukrainian Link

A senior Russian general was killed in southern Moscow on Monday when an explosive device attached to his car detonated, Russian authorities confirmed.

Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, who led the training department within the General Staff, was the victim, the Investigative Committee – Russia’s top agency for probing major crimes – said in a statement. Investigators have launched a full inquiry into what they describe as his “murder.”

Officials noted that the attack could be connected to Ukrainian special forces, though the investigation is ongoing.

The incident is the latest in a series of high-profile attacks targeting Russian military leaders and pro-Kremlin figures since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

Previous attacks include:

Deputy General Yaroslav Moskalik, killed in a car blast near Moscow in April 2023.

Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s radiological, chemical, and biological defence forces, killed in December 2024 when a booby-trapped electric scooter exploded in Moscow, a strike claimed by Ukraine’s SBU.

Military blogger Maxim Fomin, killed by a statuette explosion in a Saint Petersburg café in April 2023.

Daria Dugina, daughter of ultranationalist ideologue Alexander Dugin, killed in a car bombing in August 2022.

The killing of General Sarvarov highlights the continuing security threats faced by Russian officials amid the ongoing war with Ukraine, reflecting a pattern of targeted attacks on prominent military and political figures.