Russian general killed in car bombing near Moscow in suspected Ukraine-linked attack

General-lieutenant Yaroslav Moskalik killed in blast east of Moscow as investigators link explosion to past Ukraine-style assassinations.

A destroyed car is seen in the courtyard of residential buildings following a blast in Balashikha, Moscow region, on April 25, 2025. Photo by Tatyana Makeyeva/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

A senior Russian general was killed in a powerful car explosion on Friday in the town of Balashikha, just east of Moscow, in an attack that investigators say may bear the hallmarks of earlier Ukrainian-style assassinations. The Russian general killed in the car bombing was identified as General-lieutenant Yaroslav Moskalik, a deputy chief in Russia's military General Staff. His death has added to the growing list of high-profile figures linked to the war in Ukraine who have died in apparent targeted killings over the past three years.

Authorities quickly launched a murder investigation following the explosion, which tore through a white Volkswagen Golf parked near a residential building. The blast occurred around 10:45 a.m. local time, and the explosion could be heard across nearby blocks, leaving many residents shocked.

A targeted explosion in a Moscow suburb

Russian law enforcement officials said the explosion was the result of a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) packed with metal fragments, designed specifically to cause maximum harm. According to video footage released by the Investigative Committee, the blast happened just as someone appeared to approach the car. Fragments from the explosion scattered across the area, and the charred remains of the vehicle stood near the body of the general, lying close to the front entrance of the building.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry, described the incident as a “terrorist attack,” saying, “Our military figure was killed as a result of a terrorist act,” in a statement to local media.

Russian media outlet TASS confirmed that Moskalik was 59 years old. He had been promoted to the rank of general-lieutenant by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2021. The Kremlin’s website notes that Moskalik had previously played a role in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine in 2015, during the earlier stages of the conflict involving Russian-backed separatists.

Patterns of assassination in Russia

The killing of Moskalik closely resembles previous targeted attacks that have been claimed, either openly or implicitly, by Ukrainian authorities or intelligence operatives. Over the past three years, as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensified following Moscow's full-scale invasion in 2022, several high-ranking military officers, propagandists, and individuals aligned with the Kremlin’s war efforts have died in unusual and often explosive circumstances.

For example, in December 2023, Ukraine’s secret services claimed responsibility for the assassination of the head of the Russian military’s chemical weapons program. That killing involved a bomb attached to a scooter, remotely detonated as the officer exited his apartment building in Moscow. The pattern of using concealed and remotely triggered devices has emerged as a consistent method in these attacks.

Friday’s car bombing, investigators believe, fits that profile. They said the explosive device used in the attack was not only powerful but also sophisticated, employing shrapnel to increase its lethality. Security sources quoted by Russian Telegram channels with ties to law enforcement claimed that the car involved may have been purchased recently by a man from Sumy, a Ukrainian city near the Russian border. Reports suggest that the car had been parked at the location for several days and may have been equipped with a hidden camera to monitor the surroundings.

Ukraine silent, but history speaks

While Kyiv has not officially commented on Moskalik’s death, the silence is consistent with Ukraine’s approach to previous high-profile assassinations. Ukraine’s intelligence services have, at times, claimed responsibility for attacks on Russian soil, while at other times remaining ambiguous, viewing such actions as part of its wider strategy to counter Moscow’s military aggression.

Ukraine has described such strikes as "legitimate targets" in its defense against the full-scale Russian invasion, which has caused widespread destruction, thousands of deaths, and mass displacement since February 2022.

The blast in Balashikha also recalls earlier incidents such as the August 2022 assassination of nationalist commentator Darya Dugina, who was killed when a car bomb exploded on a highway outside Moscow. Her death was later linked to Ukrainian operatives. In April 2023, pro-war blogger and military correspondent Maxim Fomin, better known as Vladlen Tatarsky, was killed in an explosion at a Saint Petersburg café.

Kremlin response and concerns about security

Following the earlier assassinations, President Putin publicly admitted that there were “serious blunders” within Russia’s security services. In a rare moment of criticism directed at the powerful domestic security apparatus, Putin said, “We must not allow such very serious blunders to happen,” following the death of Igor Kirillov, head of the military’s chemical weapons unit.

That acknowledgment has not led to visible changes in operational security, as Friday’s attack illustrates continued vulnerabilities in Russia’s internal defenses. Despite being home to senior military leaders, areas surrounding Moscow remain vulnerable to infiltration and sabotage.

Who was General-lieutenant Yaroslav Moskalik?

Moskalik served as deputy head of the main operational directorate of Russia's military General Staff—an agency responsible for overseeing the planning and execution of armed forces operations. As a senior military planner, Moskalik was likely involved in decision-making related to Russia’s ongoing operations in Ukraine.

While not as publicly visible as some other figures killed in similar attacks, his role placed him high in the military hierarchy. He was considered close to key figures within the Kremlin's military establishment and may have had access to sensitive operational data, making him a valuable target for Ukraine’s intelligence services.

Local reactions to the explosion

Residents of Balashikha described the blast as terrifying. “The explosion was very strong, it even gave me heart pain,” said Lyudmila, a 50-year-old resident who lives close to the blast site. Eyewitnesses said emergency vehicles quickly arrived on the scene, and authorities cordoned off the area as forensic experts collected evidence.

Drone footage and images taken from high floors of nearby apartment blocks showed the destroyed vehicle, scorched pavement, and the lifeless body of the general lying nearby. Investigators remained at the scene throughout the day.

A persistent threat

The killing of Moskalik adds to an increasingly long list of Russian officials, military officers, and war supporters who have become targets of what many in Moscow see as hybrid warfare tactics employed by Ukraine. Although unverified, the links drawn between the explosion and Ukraine reflect a broader narrative being shaped by Russian authorities: that Ukraine has extended its battlefield beyond the frontlines and into Russian cities.

It remains unclear whether Ukraine will formally claim responsibility for the car bombing that killed the Russian general. But what is certain is that the conflict continues to spill over beyond its conventional scope, with shadowy assassinations becoming a persistent and unnerving feature of this long-running war.

As Russia mourns the latest loss of a senior military figure, questions grow about how many more high-value targets could be exposed, and how effectively the Kremlin can shield its own ranks from such calculated strikes.