December 22, 2025
News | SUNTV Global Channel
A senior Russian military officer has been assassinated in a car bomb attack in Moscow, escalating security concerns in the Russian capital amid ongoing regional tensions.
Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that the victim was Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, the head of operational training at the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, according to state-backed outlet RT.
Bomb Planted Under Vehicle
Investigators said an improvised explosive device was planted beneath the vehicle carrying Sarvarov and detonated on Monday morning in southern Moscow, killing the general instantly.
The explosion damaged several nearby vehicles and left Sarvarov’s driver critically injured, Russian media reported. Emergency responders and security forces quickly sealed off the area as forensic teams began investigations at the scene.
Authorities have opened a criminal case, describing the incident as a deliberate and targeted assassination.
Suspicion Falls On Ukrainian Intelligence
Russian officials disclosed that one line of investigation is focused on the possible involvement of Ukrainian intelligence services, citing previous attacks allegedly carried out using similar methods against Russian officials and public figures.
Ukrainian authorities have so far not issued any official comment on the incident.
Pattern Of High-Profile Killings
The assassination comes amid heightened security alerts in Russia following a series of high-profile attacks. Earlier this month, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, commander of Russia’s Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Forces, and his aide were killed by a bomb hidden in an electric scooter—an attack Russian investigators also blamed on Ukrainian operatives.
Who Was Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov?
Sarvarov, aged 56, was a career military officer with decades of service in the Russian Armed Forces. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, he gained combat experience during counterterrorism operations in southern Russia in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In 2016, he was appointed to head the department responsible for training senior officers during large-scale military exercises and strategic staff operations. He later participated in Russia’s military deployment in Syria.
Investigation Ongoing
The Investigative Committee said forensic examinations and technical analysis of the explosive device are ongoing as authorities work to identify those responsible and determine how the attack was carried out in a heavily monitored area of the capital.
The killing has renewed fears over internal security vulnerabilities in Russia as the war-related tensions with Ukraine continue to spill beyond the battlefield.
