Russian General Killed in Moscow Car Bombing

Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov was killed after an explosive device detonated beneath his vehicle on Yasenevaya Street in southern Moscow on Dec. 22, Russian investigators said, as a criminal case was opened and one line of inquiry examined possible Ukrainian involvement.

What happened in Moscow

A parked car exploded at 12, Yasenevaya Street at about 7:00 a.m. Moscow time (4:00 a.m. GMT), according to emergency-response information cited by Russia’s state news agency.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said an explosive device planted under a car detonated on Yasenevaya Street, and Sarvarov later died from injuries sustained in the blast.

Investigators said the Moscow department of the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case and began on-site examinations, including interviews with witnesses and reviews of surveillance camera recordings.

Authorities also said forensic and explosive-technical examinations would be part of the inquiry, reflecting a focus on how the device was built and placed.​

Key confirmed incident details

Who was Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov

Russian officials identified Sarvarov as the head of the Operational Training Directorate at the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, a role tied to force readiness and training.
State media reported he was 56 and that he died from injuries after the blast.

According to a Kremlin-linked readout carried by state media, Sarvarov was born on March 11, 1969, in Gremyachinsk (Perm Region) and graduated from multiple Russian military academies, including the Military Academy of the General Staff.​

The same account said he organized and conducted operations in Syria in 2015–2016 and was appointed chief of the Operational Training Directorate in 2016.​

Investigation, claims, and official response

Russian investigators said they were pursuing several theories, including the possibility that the killing was organized by Ukrainian special services.

Russian state media also reported the investigation was being monitored by the Investigative Committee’s central apparatus, signaling heightened sensitivity around the case.

The Kremlin spokesman described the assassination as a “terrible murder” and said security services would investigate.​

No independent findings establishing responsibility were presented by officials in the initial statements, and public comments focused on investigative steps and potential lines of inquiry.

Why this case drew wider attention

The killing quickly drew attention because it fits a recent pattern of high-profile attacks on senior Russian military figures connected to the war, including earlier bombings in and around Moscow cited by multiple reports.​

In April 2025, Russian investigators said Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated in a vehicle in Balashikha, in the Moscow region.​

In December 2024, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, who headed Russia’s radiation, chemical, and biological protection troops, was killed by an explosive device concealed on an electric scooter outside a residence in Moscow, Russian authorities said at the time.​

German public broadcaster reporting also cited claims attributed to sources in Ukraine’s security service regarding that 2024 attack, illustrating how information disputes and attribution battles have surrounded such incidents since the invasion began.​

Timeline of similar attacks cited in reports

Final thoughts

The next key development will be whether investigators publicly identify suspects, provide forensic conclusions about the device, or reclassify charges as more evidence is gathered.
Another major signal will be any official statements clarifying whether the “possible Ukrainian involvement” line of inquiry is supported by specific evidence or remains one of several working theories.

Security measures and protective protocols for senior officials may also tighten if authorities assess the attack as part of a sustained campaign rather than an isolated incident.​