A car bomb in Moscow has tragically claimed the life of another high-ranking Russian military officer, Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, on Monday. This incident marks a disturbing trend: it’s the third such killing of a senior general in just over a year, sending ripples of concern and raising serious questions about security. Sarvarov, who held a crucial position as head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, succumbed to his injuries, according to Russia’s top criminal investigation agency.
Investigators are pursuing several leads, with one prominent theory suggesting that Ukrainian intelligence services orchestrated the attack. This suspicion arises nearly four years after Moscow initiated its military actions in Ukraine. Russian authorities have consistently pointed fingers at Kyiv for assassinations of military and public figures within Russia. While Ukraine has claimed responsibility for some past incidents, there has been no immediate comment from Kyiv regarding Sarvarov’s death.
This latest bombing follows a grim pattern. Just over a year ago, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, chief of the military’s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection forces, was killed by an explosive device hidden on an electric scooter. Ukraine’s security service openly took credit for that audacious attack. Then, in April, Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik met a similar fate when an explosive device in his car detonated near his apartment. Days later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hinted at the “liquidation” of top Russian military figures, reinforcing the notion of targeted operations.
The repeated, targeted strikes against high-profile military leaders within Russia underscore the ongoing, dangerous conflict playing out even within its borders. President Putin was reportedly informed immediately about Sarvarov’s killing, highlighting the gravity and strategic implications of these attacks.
