Sky News: car bombing of Russian general near Moscow raises security questions

Russia has not ruled out possible Ukrainian involvement in the car bombing that killed Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, though no party has claimed responsibility, Britain’s Sky News reported.

The explosion occurred at the entrance to the general’s residence less than 16 km from the Kremlin, casting doubt on the effectiveness of Russia’s security services, the report said.

Sarvarov headed the General Staff’s operational training directorate and was responsible for preparing troops for future deployments. He previously served in Chechnya and Syria, according to Sky News.

The broadcaster noted that this was not the first killing of a senior Russian military officer since the start of the war in Ukraine. A year ago, Ukraine claimed responsibility for the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, whom Kyiv accused of ordering the use of chemical weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin at the time called it a “serious failure” of the security services.

In April, Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik was also killed when his car exploded in Balashikha near Moscow.

Sky News said it was unclear why Sarvarov was targeted, though it may have been linked to his senior rank and vulnerability. The timing was notable, coming after a fresh round of peace talks between U.S. and Russian representatives in Miami.

According to the report, the Kremlin is seeking to convince the White House that its victory is inevitable, while Kyiv aims to show the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump that it remains capable of resisting. The killing of the general may be seen as a “signal to Washington” that Russia does not have full control over the situation.