A senior Russian military officer, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, was killed in a car bomb explosion in Moscow on Monday. Investigators confirmed that the blast was caused by an explosive device planted under his vehicle, according to RT. The explosion occurred earlier in the day in the southern part of the city, damaging multiple vehicles nearby.

Initial reports indicated that the driver was seriously injured, but authorities later confirmed Sarvarov, who headed operational training at the General Staff, as the victim. Investigators noted that the device had been deliberately placed beneath the car, suggesting a targeted attack. Russian authorities are considering a possible link to Ukrainian intelligence services.

The incident highlights a pattern of targeted attacks in Russia. Ukrainian authorities have previously been accused of carrying out bombings against officials and public figures. In December of last year, a bomb hidden in an electric scooter killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, commander of Russia’s Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces, along with his aide—an attack investigators attributed to Ukrainian operatives.

Details of Sarvarov’s military career have also surfaced. He was a career officer with combat experience from counterterrorism operations in southern Russia during the late 1990s and early 2000s. At 56 years old, Sarvarov had led the department responsible for training senior officers through staff exercises and operational events since 2016. Before that, he participated in Russia’s military operations in Syria.