A senior Russian military officer, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, was killed in a car explosion in southern Moscow on Monday. The blast occurred in a parking lot adjacent to a residential building, according to local media reports. Sarvarov, who led the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, was critically injured and later died, authorities confirmed. Investigators immediately opened a criminal case and began examining the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Investigation Underway
The Investigative Committee said the motive for Sarvarov’s death is still unknown. Officials have not released details about how the explosive device was planted or triggered but confirmed that the case is being treated as a targeted killing. Forensic examinations are underway, and investigators are analyzing evidence from the scene to determine the sequence of events.
Exploring Possible Foreign Links
Authorities are considering multiple scenarios, including the potential involvement of Ukrainian intelligence services. “Investigators are pursuing numerous lines of enquiry regarding the murder. One of these is that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services,” said Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the Investigative Committee. She added that witnesses are being questioned and surveillance footage reviewed as part of the inquiry.
No Comment From Kyiv
Ukrainian officials have not responded to the allegations. Russian authorities have also refrained from publicly identifying suspects or providing concrete evidence linking the attack to any foreign actor.
Part of a Series of Targeted Attacks
This attack is the latest in a string of high-profile killings of Russian military figures in Moscow since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. In December 2024, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov died after a scooter rigged with explosives detonated, and Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik was killed in April by a car bomb. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for either attack.
