A person was killed in a car bomb explosion in the eastern outskirts of Moscow early Tuesday morning, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee, which has launched an investigation into the incident.
The explosion occurred at around 5:30 a.m. local time in Balashikha, east of the Russian capital.
According to investigators, an explosive device detonated as a BMW X3 was driving near an apartment building.
“As a result, the driver sustained multiple injuries and died at the scene,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement.
Authorities have opened a criminal case, while the identity of the victim had not yet been officially confirmed at the time of the announcement.
Investigators, forensic experts, and operational services are examining the scene, and several forensic examinations, including medical and explosives analyses, have been ordered as part of the investigation.
Russian authorities have not indicated a possible motive for the bombing and have not named any suspects.
The incident comes amid a series of attacks in recent years targeting senior Russian military figures and other individuals linked to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
In December 2025, Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov was killed when an explosive device detonated beneath a vehicle in southern Moscow. Russian investigators blamed Ukrainian intelligence services for the attack.
A year earlier, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his aide Ilya Polikarpov were killed when a bomb attached to an electric scooter exploded outside an apartment building in southeastern Moscow. Ukraine’s Security Service later claimed responsibility for that operation.
The circumstances surrounding Tuesday’s explosion remain under investigation.
