A senior Russian general, Yaroslav Moskalik, was killed in a car bombing in the city of Balashikha on Friday, authorities confirmed.
The blast occurred just as U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. The timing of the bombing, which took place shortly before Witkoff's meeting, drew attention to ongoing tensions as Trump's self-imposed deadline for ending the war nears its expiration.
Witkoff arrived in the Russian capital for crucial talks, marking his fourth trip to Russia since Trump returned to office in January. This meeting, according to Russian state news agency Tass, saw Witkoff meet with Putin and senior Russian negotiators, including Kirill Dmitriev and former ambassador to Washington, Yuri Ushakov.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also spoke on CBS News Thursday, saying that Moscow was "ready to reach a deal" on ending the war but acknowledged that specific points still needed to be "fine-tuned."
The car bombing took place in Balashikha, a city located just 20 miles east of Moscow. Russian authorities confirmed that Moskalik, the deputy head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, died in the explosion, which was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) filled with shrapnel.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which resembled previous targeted killings of Russian officials, including the December assassination of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, who was accused of using chemical weapons in Ukraine. Kirillov was killed in a bomb attack on a scooter outside his Moscow apartment.
Initial reports from the Russian military blog Rybar suggested that Moskalik was not in the car at the time of the explosion but was near the scene, having just left a nearby building. However, this claim has not been independently verified by CNN.
Details about Moskalik's career remain sparse, though Rybar described him as "competent and demanding," with a reputation for being tough on subordinates.
Russia's Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe into the attack and has dispatched a team of forensic experts and law enforcement officers to investigate the scene.
The device used in the bombing has been described as "homemade." The bombing follows a recent fire at an underground car park in Moscow's business district, which occurred two days prior, also involving an explosion.
