A powerful explosion in Moscow on Monday morning has killed a senior Russian military officer, according to official sources and ongoing investigations.

Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, died from injuries after an explosive device detonated under his vehicle in southern Moscow, the Russian Investigative Committee has confirmed.

The blast occurred at approximately 7 a.m. on Yasenevaya Street as Sarvarov entered his Kia Sorento and began to drive off from the courtyard of a residential building, authorities said. Initial reports indicated the device was likely an improvised explosive device (IED) placed beneath the car, and multiple other vehicles in the area were damaged in the blast.

Paramedics rushed Sarvarov to a local hospital with severe injuries, including multiple fractures and shrapnel wounds, but he later succumbed to his wounds, according to the Investigative Committee.

Sarvarov, aged 56, was a long-serving officer who took part in Russian military operations in the North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Ossetia, and later served in Syria and during Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. At the time of his death, he held a senior role responsible for the operational training of Russian forces.

Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the incident, and the Investigative Committee said it is exploring multiple lines of inquiry, including the possibility of external involvement in the attack. One version under consideration points to potential links with Ukrainian special services, though Kyiv has not issued any official comment on the matter.

Spokespersons for the committee noted that forensic teams are examining evidence from the scene to determine how the explosive device was placed and detonated, and whether this was a planned assassination rather than a random act of violence.

The killing of General Sarvarov marks one of several high-profile explosions involving senior Russian military figures in recent years. In December 2024, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, former head of the Russian military’s nuclear, biological, and chemical defense troops, was killed in an explosion in Moscow when a bomb hidden on a scooter detonated as he left his apartment building—a blast Russian authorities attributed to Ukrainian special services.

The latest attack underscores ongoing security challenges within Moscow and may have implications for the wider conflict between Russia and Ukraine, raising tensions and prompting speculation about the motivations and actors behind such operations. Authorities have not ruled out any motive, including domestic or foreign involvement, as investigators work to piece together the full circumstances surrounding the blast.

Russian officials have yet to issue a comprehensive public statement on security protocols following the incident, but state media coverage has acknowledged Sarvarov’s service record and the severity of the attack. As the investigation continues, the broader geopolitical implications remain a point of close attention among analysts and policymakers. (ILKHA)