Russian general killed in car bomb attack as investigators probe Ukrainian link

A Russian military general was killed by a bomb planted under his car on Monday, December 22, 2025, marking the third killing of a senior officer in a single year.

The head of Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov died of his injuries. The country's top investigative agency is now probing a possible Ukrainian link in the incident.

A spokesperson for Investigative Committee Svetlana Petrenko said that multiple lines of enquiry are being pursued by investigators, adding, “One of these is that the crime was planned and orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services.”

Ukraine has yet to respond to the accusations.

Savarov was a distinguished military officer in the Russian Army. According to the Ministry of Defence, the slain general previously served in Chechnya and also took part in the country’s military campaign in Syria.

In December 2024, Russia’s chief of the military's nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed by a bomb planted on an electric scooter.

Another similar incident occurred in April when a deputy of the main operational department in the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, was killed when an explosive device detonated under his car.

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged security agencies to learn from their mistakes and improve their efficiency.