A senior Russian military official was killed this morning in a targeted car bombing in the Moscow region, authorities confirmed, marking another high-profile assassination amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Major General Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the General Staff’s Main Operations Directorate, died when an explosive device detonated inside his vehicle. The Russian Investigative Committee reported that the blast, equivalent to over 300 grams of TNT, was deliberate and lethal.

Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko stated: “This was a targeted assassination. A full investigation is underway to identify those responsible.” Counterintelligence units have been deployed to trace the origin and placement of the device.

The attack follows a pattern of assassinations targeting Russian figures since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Last year, Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Defense Troops, was killed in a similar car bombing, with Ukrainian intelligence later claiming responsibility. Russian authorities have frequently accused Ukraine’s special services of orchestrating such attacks as part of a sabotage campaign.

No suspects have been named in Moskalik’s killing, but the incident is expected to heighten security concerns within the Kremlin. Analysts suggest the assassination of a key operational figure like Moskalik could prompt Russia to bolster protective measures for its top officials.

Investigations are ongoing as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate. (ILKHA)