A senior Russian military officer died on Tuesday when his car exploded near a residential building outside Moscow. This information came from both a senior Ukrainian official and Russian media outlets.
This incident appears to be part of a series of targeted assassinations of Russian figures who oppose Ukraine. The timing coincides with Kyiv’s success in thwarting Moscow’s summer offensive. Ukraine has also launched long-range strikes on Moscow and oil assets within Russia.
Russian investigators have initiated a criminal case regarding the explosion. They reported that the blast occurred early Tuesday in Balashikha, east of Moscow. The driver died at the scene, but the Russian authorities have not identified the victim or elaborated on the criminal case.
Two Russian and two Ukrainian media sources identified the victim as Damir R. Davydov. A senior Ukrainian official confirmed this, noting that Mr. Davydov was an officer in the Russian military’s Main Missile and Artillery Directorate supply department.
On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov stated that President Vladimir V. Putin had been briefed on the matter. Peskov mentioned that details of the case remain undisclosed due to the ongoing investigation.
This explosion occurred in the same area as an April 2025 attack, where Maj. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy head of the main operational department of the General Staff, was killed by a car bomb.
Ukrainian special services have aimed at several high-profile Russian military leaders, exposing their vulnerability and bringing attention to the Kremlin’s security services. Previously, in December, Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov died in a car bombing. In December 2024, Igor Kirillov, a general responsible for nuclear and chemical weapons protection, was killed by an explosive device in a scooter near a residential building.
President Putin described Mr. Kirillov’s death as a severe oversight, emphasizing the need for Russian special services to prevent such incidents.
Ivan Nechepurenko provides coverage of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other neighboring regions, working from both Moscow and Tbilisi, Georgia.
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