A Russian lieutenant general was killed on December 22, 2025, after an explosive device detonated beneath his car in southern Moscow.
Authorities identified the victim as Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, 56, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the General Staff. Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a murder case and said it is examining several lines of inquiry, including possible involvement of Ukrainian intelligence services, according to statements reported by major wire services.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin was informed immediately. No group claimed responsibility as of Monday afternoon in Moscow. Ukrainian officials had not issued a public comment.
What Investigators Say
Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said an explosive device was planted under the vehicle and detonated on Yasenevaya Street in the south of the city.
Emergency services and forensic teams worked the scene through the morning while police sealed off surrounding roads. Initial findings described significant damage to the vehicle consistent with a directional blast under the chassis.
Investigators said they are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses from nearby apartment blocks and businesses. Officials described multiple theories under review, with potential links to foreign intelligence among them.
Outlets citing law enforcement sources reported the explosion occurred around 6:55 a.m. local time. Authorities did not release details about the type of explosive used.
Who Was Fanil Sarvarov
Sarvarov led the General Staff’s operational training directorate, a post responsible for designing and coordinating large-scale training for Russia’s armed forces. Biographical notes in Russian media indicated prior service in Chechnya and in Russia’s operation in Syria. Colleagues described him as an experienced staff officer who moved through command and academy postings before assuming the training directorate role.
Russian state institutions had previously highlighted Sarvarov’s work on joint-arms exercises and readiness drills.
The directorate he led shapes training standards for units across the services, which makes the position influential in how doctrine is practiced in field formations. Russian military commentators said the killing removes a senior planner at a time when training cycles remain tied to operations in Ukraine.
A Pattern of Attacks Inside Russia
If confirmed as an assassination, Monday’s killing would continue a pattern of targeted attacks on senior figures on Russian territory since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In April 2025, Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik was killed by a car bomb in the Moscow region. Russian authorities blamed Ukraine, and later said a suspect had been detained.
In December 2024, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, a senior officer associated with Russia’s chemical, radiological and biological defense troops, died in an explosion in Moscow. Ukrainian services later indicated responsibility in public statements carried by international outlets.
Several other high-profile explosions and shootings have targeted military officers, pro-war commentators, and officials in various Russian cities and occupied areas. Russian authorities typically attribute these attacks to Ukrainian services or sympathizers.
Kyiv claims some operations, denies others, and generally avoids detailed public comment on specific methods or personnel.
