A senior Russian general was killed in a car bomb in southeastern Moscow on the morning of December 22, 2025, according to the Russian Investigative Committee. Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, who headed the operational training directorate for the General Staff since 2016, died in the blast.

The explosion, captured in video footage, shows damaged vehicles and debris on rainy urban streets near the scene. Sarvarov’s death marks the third assassination of a Russian lieutenant general in Moscow within the past year, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in Russian rear security during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Authorities are investigating potential links to Kyiv, noting Sarvarov’s prior deployment to Syria and his operational oversight within the General Staff. The incident raises concerns about the safety of high-ranking Russian military officers amid increasing internal and external threats.

This assassination adds to a series of targeted attacks against senior Russian officers, drawing attention to potential gaps in intelligence and protective measures, as well as the broader strategic implications for Moscow’s command structure in an ongoing war environment.