A senior Russian military officer was killed in a suspected car bomb attack on Thursday in St. Petersburg. The colonel died instantly when the blast tore apart his Chinese-made Geely car at 10 a.m., severing his legs as he drove along Kolpinskoye Highway. His wife was left fighting for her life in intensive care after reportedly suffering catastrophic injuries, including the loss of both legs.
Russian media reported that the car was blown apart by an improvised explosive device. The victim is believed to be a 53-year-old lieutenant colonel and military pilot in the Russian Air Force and Air Defences. The officer was driving out of a paid car park when the explosion occurred. The Slavyanka district, where the car exploded, is known to house many residences allocated to senior Russian Defence Ministry officers.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Reports suggest the blast may have occurred after the couple picked up a package from Ozon, a Russian e-commerce company that has reportedly been targeted by Ukraine in drone strikes.
Bomb disposal experts were present at the scene, and Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into the incident. Multiple Russian military figures and others associated with the conflict have died in similar car explosions, with Ukrainian secret services frequently blamed for such incidents.