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TerrorismRussian Federation

Russia: Military intelligence officer injured in car bombing

July 24, 2024

A car bomb injured a senior military officer and his wife in the Russian capital, Moscow. The suspect in the bombing has been arrested in Turkey.

https://p.dw.com/p/4igro
A damaged car is seen on a parking spot, following a car blast that reportedly injured an officer from Russia's GRU military intelligence, in Moscow, Russia
The bomb blast injured two people and damaged several other cars in the parking lotImage: Social Media via REUTERS

A car bomb explosion injured a Russian military intelligence officer in northern Moscow on Wednesday.

Russia's Interior Ministry said two people were injured in an explosion caused by the detonation of an unidentified device and that a criminal case had been opened.

A man and his wife were injured in the explosion, according to the TASS state news agency. The man's feet were blown off, and five other cars were damaged in the explosion, the agency said.

Footage published by Russian media showed an explosion ripping through a Toyota Land Cruiser shortly after the officer and an unidentified woman entered the vehicle.

A moment of a car blast that reportedly injured an officer from Russia's GRU military intelligence is captured, in Moscow, Russia
An officer of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency was reportedly injured in a car explosion in MoscowImage: Social Media via REUTERS

What do we know about the wounded?

Kommersant, one of Russia's leading newspapers, said the injured man served in the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, widely known as the GRU.

The Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying that the owner of the car was a colonel in the Russian Armed Forces, the head of one of the units of the General Staff.

He is reportedly in charge of satellite communications in the military and served in the war against Ukraine. According to Interfax sources, the investigation is pursuing all versions, including the version about the "Ukrainian trace."

Suspect arrested in Turkey

Alexander Bortnikov, head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), told the SHOT Telegram channel that the suspect had fled to Turkey and that the FSB was working to extradite the person.

Later on Wednesday, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a post on X that a Russian citizen suspected of the attack had been arrested in Bodrum after arriving by plane from Moscow.

Since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there have been several bomb attacks on Russian territory, including in the capital. Ukraine has denied any connection to the attacks.

dh/sms (dpa, Reuters)