A powerful car explosion in southern Moscow has killed two traffic police officers and a third individual, Russian authorities confirmed on Wednesday, marking the latest in a series of deadly blasts targeting security-related figures in the Russian capital.

According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the explosion occurred in the early hours of the morning on Yeletskaya Street when police officers approached a suspicious individual near their patrol vehicle. Investigators said an improvised explosive device was detonated at approximately 1:30 a.m. local time, killing the officers instantly.

Officials stated that a crime scene has been secured and forensic teams are conducting a detailed investigation. Surveillance camera footage from the surrounding area is being reviewed as part of efforts to establish the sequence of events and identify potential accomplices. Russian state television aired images showing the street cordoned off, with a heavy police and emergency services presence.

Preliminary information circulating on Russian Telegram channels close to the security services suggested that the third person killed in the blast may have been in the process of planting the explosive device, though authorities have not officially confirmed this claim.

The incident occurred less than one kilometer from the site where a senior Russian military official, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, was killed earlier this week in a separate bombing. Sarvarov, head of the operational training directorate of the Russian General Staff, died when an explosive device detonated beneath his vehicle while he was driving along Yaseneva Street on Monday morning.

Russian investigators have described Sarvarov’s death as a likely targeted assassination and have accused Ukrainian intelligence services of orchestrating the attack. While officials have not yet established a direct link between the two explosions, security agencies are reportedly examining whether the incidents are connected.

The Kremlin and several prominent pro-government figures have called for swift retaliation following Sarvarov’s killing, which was the third bombing in Moscow over the past year to claim the life of a senior Russian military officer linked to the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack on Sarvarov, nor has it commented on the latest explosion involving the traffic police officers.

Since the outbreak of the war, Ukrainian intelligence agencies have acknowledged conducting covert operations against Russian military personnel and Moscow-installed officials, whom they accuse of involvement in war crimes. Numerous assassinations and acts of sabotage have been reported inside Russia and in Russian-controlled territories, often attributed to clandestine resistance networks, though details about their structure and operations remain largely undisclosed.

Russian authorities said security measures across Moscow have been tightened following the latest blast, with increased patrols and inspections in sensitive areas as investigations continue. (ILKHA)