Russian general killed by car bomb in Moscow, say investigators
Guardian1 day
Russian General Killed in Moscow Car Bomb Attack
Was the killing of a Russian general a targeted murder by Ukraine's intelligence service, or the legitimate elimination of a war criminal?
Above: Investigators at the scene of a car explosion in southern Moscow, Russia, on Dec. 22, 2025. Image credit: Sefa Karacan/Anadolu/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
Sarvarov's killing bears the hallmarks of a cowardly terrorist attack, a targeted assassination carried out far from any battlefield and one that will not intimidate Russia. As Ukrainian forces face mounting pressure on the front lines, the increasingly desperate regime has turned to covert violence, relying on car bombs and targeted killings inside Russia. The explosive device planted beneath Sarvarov's vehicle fits a broader pattern of clandestine attacks against Russian officials, signaling a shift toward asymmetric tactics as conventional options narrow.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Responsibility for the killing has not yet been established, but if Ukrainian intelligence was behind the attack, it would amount to the targeted elimination of a senior commander responsible for Russian operations both abroad and in Ukraine. Sarvarov played a key role in organizing military campaigns in Syria in support of the Assad regime and in training senior officers for Russia's invasion. Viewed through this lens, the strike would be a calculated act against a commander linked to attacks on Ukrainian civilians, rather than an indiscriminate act of violence.