A senior Russian military colonel has been killed in a car explosion in Moscow.
Damir Davydov, the Kremlin’s top artillery chief, died when a bomb planted under a BMW exploded as he drove near his Balashikha home around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to local media reports.
Surveillance footage shared by Russian media appeared to show the car igniting in a fireball and careening into a parked vehicle. Bystanders then rushed to drag Davydov from the blazing wreckage, but he later died from his injuries, Telegram channel Mash reported.
The explosive device, planted under the driver’s seat and detonated remotely, had a yield equivalent to 300 to 400 grams of TNT, according to Russian Telegram channel 112.
The Kremlin confirmed Wednesday that an explosion had taken place and said President Vladimir Putin had been briefed, but offered no further details.
Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also refused to confirm or discuss the victim’s identity.
“An explosion took place, but the details, as you understand, are not subject to disclosure in connection with the investigation that is underway,” Peskov said.
“Of course, this is a matter for our special services.”
The blast happened less than a mile from the site where Yaroslav Moskalik, a senior Russian military official, was killed in a car bombing in April 2025, independent outlet Astra reported.
Russian investigators have reportedly launched a criminal case into the deadly blast.
The latest attack marks another strike against high-profile Russian figures since Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.
Ukraine military intelligence, which has targeted dozens of senior Russian military officials, has not commented on the explosion.
Kyiv in the past has claimed responsibility for targeting Russian military officers on their home soil.
