Three individuals, including two police officers, were tragically killed in a car explosion in Moscow, as reported by Russia’s investigative committee. The incident occurred following the approach of two police officers to a man behaving suspiciously near the site of a previous car explosion that claimed the life of a senior general two days prior. The victim of the earlier blast was Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov of Russia’s General Staff’s army operational directorate.
The recent explosion occurred in close proximity to where Sarvarov had lost his life, according to committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko. The deceased officers were identified as police lieutenants Ilya Klimanov, aged 24, and Maxim Gorbunov, aged 25. Gorbunov is survived by his wife and a nine-month-old daughter.
The officers suffered fatal injuries while on duty, as stated by the city’s state traffic inspectorate on Telegram, offering condolences to their families. The blast site was quickly secured by armed police, and numerous emergency response vehicles were dispatched.
A criminal investigation has been initiated, with forensic experts and investigators from the Moscow investigative committee examining the scene. The investigation includes genetic, medical, and explosive-technical analyses, along with witness interviews and surveillance footage review.
Authorities have alleged that the car bombing on Monday was carried out by Ukrainian intelligence. Eyewitnesses described attempts to rescue Sarvarov from his vehicle before he was taken to the hospital. His wife rushed to the scene but was not permitted to see her injured husband trapped in the car.
The explosion caused damage to seven other vehicles at the location. A local resident mentioned initial confusion, thinking a drone had been downed due to the explosion but without subsequent fire.
Petrenko confirmed Sarvarov’s death and stated that Russian authorities have launched an investigation, exploring various leads, including the potential involvement of Ukrainian intelligence services in the crime.