A senior Russian military official has been killed in a car bombing near Moscow, according to media reports. The assassination will intensify scrutiny of Russia's ability to protect senior officials.
Details of the Attack
An explosive device planted underneath a BMW detonated at about 5.30am on Tuesday as Col Damir Davydov was driving near his home in the city of Balashikha, the independent outlet Astra reported. It was the latest in a string of assassinations targeting Russian military officials and prominent pro-war figures since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Davydov, 57, headed the Russian military's artillery and missile ammunition supply directorate, a key logistics role responsible for overseeing the distribution of weapons to the armed forces.
Witness Accounts
Security camera footage shared by pro-Kremlin media appeared to show Davydov's vehicle erupting in flames and rolling into a parked car. The Telegram channel Mash reported that bystanders rushed to pull the driver from the wreckage, but he died from his injuries shortly afterwards.
A bystander who tried to help Davydov told Astra the colonel was still alive after being pulled from the vehicle. "All of his clothes were on fire. I put out the flames on his T-shirt and tore it off so it wouldn't burn his skin … Looking at him, it was clear he was unlikely to survive," the person said.
Reactions and Context
Neither Russia nor Ukraine has commented on the incident. Without directly blaming Ukraine, Vladimir Shamanov, a Russian lawmaker and retired general, condemned the attack as an "outrage", adding: "Such insolence should be met with the same."
Since the start of the war, Ukrainian intelligence agencies have targeted dozens of senior Russian military officers and Moscow-installed officials in occupied territories, accusing many of being involved in war crimes.
The latest assassination will intensify scrutiny of Russia's internal security apparatus and its ability to protect senior officials. It came despite heightened security measures introduced for top military and political figures, including Vladimir Putin, after a number of high-profile attacks.
In an added embarrassment for the security services, the attack took place less than a mile from the spot where, just over a year ago, Lt Gen Yaroslav Moskalik, the deputy head of the Russian armed forces' main operations directorate, was killed in a similar car bombing.
Ukrainian Networks
Little is known about the clandestine Ukrainian networks believed to be operating inside Russia and Russia-controlled territories, carrying out assassinations and attacks on military infrastructure far behind the frontline. Successful Ukrainian intelligence operations targeting Russian officials are believed to be one of the reasons behind Russia's growing use of internet shutdowns, a measure that has fuelled public frustration across the country.
