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Authorities released limited details as inquiries began.
A senior Russian military official has died in an early-morning explosion in Moscow, triggering a criminal investigation and renewed accusations tied to the war in Ukraine, several news outlets, including Reuters, reports.
Officials said the incident took place in the south of the capital and involved an apparent targeted attack. Video footage was later shared showing the aftermath.
Morning explosion
According to Russia’s State Investigative Committee, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov was killed when a bomb detonated beneath his vehicle as he was leaving a parking area on Monday morning. The explosion occurred at 06:55 local time.
Investigators said the blast happened under a Kia Sorento driven by Sarvarov, who headed the army operational training directorate within Russia’s General Staff. He died from the injuries sustained in the explosion, the committee said.
Images released by investigators showed the heavily damaged vehicle, with visible blood on the driver’s seat, underscoring the force of the blast.
Investigation underway
The Investigative Committee said it was examining several possible explanations for the attack. One scenario under consideration is that Ukrainian special services were involved, according to the agency.
No evidence was publicly presented to support that claim, and there was no immediate response from Ukraine to the allegation.
The investigation remains ongoing, Russian officials said.
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A curveball to peace talks?
During the weekend, Russia and the U.S. have met for discussions over af possible peace agreement, after Ukraine and its Western allies have proposed a revised version of the initial proposal, crafted by the U.S..
According to Reuters, the Russian special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has left Miami after the talks and will report directly to Vladimir Putin, as soon as he the envoy lands in Moscow.
Sources: Reuters, AFP, Social Media
