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Explosion in Moscow leaves three dead
An explosive device detonated in Moscow on Wednesday, killing two traffic police officers and a bystander, Russian authorities reported. The blast occurred as officers approached a suspicious individual near a police vehicle on Yeletskaya Street.
Incident details
Russia's Investigative Committee stated that the officers noticed the individual acting suspiciously and moved to detain them when the explosion occurred. Both officers, identified by local media as Ilya Klimanov, 24, and Maxim Gorbunov, 25, died from their injuries. A third victim, standing nearby, also succumbed to the blast.
Connection to earlier attack
The explosion took place close to the site where Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov was killed in a car bombing on Monday. Sarvarov, 56, headed the armed forces' operational training department and was the third military official targeted in Moscow bombings over the past year.
Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of involvement in Sarvarov's death, though Kyiv has not commented on the allegations. It remains unclear whether the two attacks are linked.
Investigation underway
Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko announced on Telegram that a criminal case had been opened regarding the attack on the traffic police officers. Authorities are treating the incident as an attempted murder.
Witness accounts
A local resident, Alexander, told Reuters he heard a loud explosion similar to the car bombing earlier in the week. "It was a loud bang-like with the car a few days ago," he said.
