Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The general was reportedly responsible for managing missile and artillery munition for the war effort.
In the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russians could feel relatively safe on Russian soil, at least when they were far from the frontline.
Ukraine did not yet have the capability to send drones and missiles more than 1,000 kilometers into Russian territory, so the Ukrainian security services instead relied on assassinations, often using car bombs.
Ukraine is now able to strike deep into Russian territory using drones and missiles, but car bombings are still occurring in Russia.
Dawn explosion
According to ASTRA, a luxury SUV parked outside an apartment building exploded on Tuesday morning in Balashikha, ten kilometers outside Moscow.
Russian authorities quickly launched a criminal investigation after confirming that a man had died from severe injuries. While officials kept quiet about the victim’s name, independent journalists quickly connected the dots.
The Russian independent investigative outlet The Insider reported that the deceased was Damir Davydov. Davydov held a crucial role as a military official responsible for managing missile and artillery ammunition supplies for the ongoing war effort.
Ukraine has not yet reacted to the reports or taken responsibility.
Hidden explosives
According to the Russian Telegram channel 112, an explosive device had been carefully hidden beneath the driver’s seat.
Another channel, Shot, reported that the bomb had an explosive force equivalent to 300 to 400 grams of TNT.
The blast left the 62-year-old victim with fatal shrapnel wounds. Witnesses told The Insider that the man survived the initial explosion but died before medical teams could arrive at the scene.
Military neighborhood
Local records show that the victim lived in the Aviatorov district, a neighborhood built specifically for military personnel.
ASTRA noted that Russia’s Defense Ministry manages these apartments, allocating them to veterans and military families.
This specific neighborhood has seen this type of violence before. In April 2025, Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik died in another car bombing less than a kilometer away.
Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the latest incident. While Kyiv has previously targeted high-ranking Russian officials, no definitive evidence has yet linked Ukraine to this specific explosion.
