A senior Russian military officer, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, was killed in a car bomb explosion in Moscow on Monday, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee. Authorities are investigating possible links to Ukrainian intelligence services as one of several potential motives.
Sarvarov, aged 56 and head of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff’s operational training directorate for nine years, succumbed to injuries after an explosive device detonated under his vehicle in a southern residential area of the capital. Russian President Vladimir Putin was promptly notified of the incident through security channels.
State media footage depicted a severely damaged car in a residential neighborhood, with investigators examining the site.
The attack fits into a broader series of assassinations targeting prominent Russian military leaders and pro-war figures since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Previous incidents include the killings of Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik (April 2025, car bomb), Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov (December 2024, scooter bomb), and Armen Sarkisyan, alongside influencers like Darya Dugina (2022 car bomb) and Vladlen Tatarsky (2023 cafe bombing). Russian officials have frequently attributed such operations to Ukrainian security forces.
As the probe advances, focus remains on potential security vulnerabilities and the underlying reasons for the strike, underscoring the persistent shadow war and dangers confronting high-ranking Russian officials even in the heart of Moscow.
