Russian General killed in car bomb hours before key US-Russia talks

Moscow: A senior Russian general was killed in a car explosion on Friday, just hours before US envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin for talks on the Ukraine conflict, according to Russian authorities.

Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian General Staff, died after a bomb detonated near a Volkswagen Golf in the city of Balashikha, less than 20 miles east of Moscow.

Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the death, stating the blast was caused by a shrapnel-packed improvised explosive device.

The incident coincided with Witkoff’s fourth official visit to Russia since Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January, and his second this month.

The Kremlin meeting between Witkoff and Putin was reported by state news agency Tass, which also confirmed the US envoy met with top Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev.

Witkoff's visit follows remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, who has stated that Moscow was “ready to reach a deal” on ending the war in Ukraine, though some points still required “fine-tuning.”

According to the military-linked Russian blog Rybar, Moskalik was near the vehicle, not inside it, when the explosion occurred after he exited a nearby building.

Little public information exists about Moskalik, but Rybar described him as “competent and demanding,” adding he was “not well liked” due to his strict leadership style.

Investigators have launched a criminal probe into the bombing. A forensic team is working at the scene, and officials have confirmed that the device was homemade.

The blast follows another incident in Moscow two days earlier, where an explosion triggered a fire in an underground car park in the capital’s business district. Authorities have not linked the two events.

The timing of Moskalik’s death—just ahead of a high-stakes diplomatic meeting—adds a layer of tension to ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.