Russian military serviceman killed in St Petersburg car blast

A Russian military serviceman has been killed in a “car fire” in St Petersburg, authorities said.

The man was killed, and his wife was injured, when their car exploded in the Pushkinsky suburb on the outskirts of St Petersburg on Thursday, the city’s branch of the Investigative Committee said.

It did not identify the man or give his rank.

The online Fontanka newspaper in Russia’s second-largest city identified the ⁠man as a lieutenant colonel, a 53-year-old high-ranking military officer, and said he died instantly or shortly after the vehicle’s engine started.

Ukrainska Pravda, a Ukrainian news website, claimed that the lieutenant was serving within Russia’s Air Force and Air and Missile Defence units under the Aerospace Forces.

The blast took place at approximately 10am local time (07:00 GMT), according to witnesses, who also added that the explosion completely wrecked the car.

“Currently, investigators and forensic experts, together with operational services, are examining the scene,” the Russian Investigative Committee said on Telegram.

The committee also formally opened a criminal probe, but they initially labelled the incident a vehicle fire rather than officially confirming an explosive device.

Moscow has accused Kyiv of assassination attempts against a number of top Russian military officials amid the Ukraine war. Kyiv has claimed responsibility in some instances, while denying involvement in others.

Al Jazeera correspondent Yulia Shapovalova, reporting from Moscow, said that this latest death is “one in a series of assassinations” of high-ranking Russian military figures.

Ever since Moscow launched its “so-called special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has seen a series of high-profile vehicle explosions and targeted assassinations aimed at military commanders and prominent pro-war figures, not just in St Petersburg but also in Moscow,” she said.

On August 5, the director of a factory supplying drones to the Russian military was badly wounded, and his driver was killed, when their car exploded 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) east of Moscow.

Currently, no group has claimed responsibility for this blast, and Ukraine has not commented.