Authorities in Russia are currently looking into a possible car bomb attack in Moscow that resulted in two individuals sustaining injuries, with conflicting reports suggesting a military officer was the intended target.
A video of the explosion, shared on Telegram, shows a man and a woman entering a vehicle just before it detonates suddenly.
Initial accounts from state media identified the victims as Andrei Torgashov, an intelligence officer with GRU military, and his spouse.
According to unnamed sources in law enforcement, the Kommersant newspaper reported that Torgashov suffered severe injuries, including the loss of both feet, and was in critical condition in a hospital.
Later on, conflicting reports emerged indicating that Torgashov was unharmed.
The aftermath of the blast. Pic: Reuters
RT, a broadcaster funded by the Kremlin, aired what it claimed to be a phone interview with the satellite commander, who mentioned learning about the explosion while at work.
He also stated that the vehicle involved in the blast was not his and he resided in another part of the city.
In a reversal of its initial report, Kommersant later stated that the victim was actually another person with the same name as the officer, indicating a possible case of mistaken identity.
Reports from eyewitnesses at the scene further added to the confusion.
“A friend of mine knew [the victim], they reside in the same building complex as Andrei, the military officer,” said Irina to Sky News, mentioning she was startled by the explosion’s impact that shook her out of bed.
An injured person transported on a stretcher. Pic: Reuters
Another resident, Natalya, expressed finding the incident disturbing yet not surprising, given that “many military personnel reside in the vicinity”.
Russian authorities confirmed that two individuals were injured in the explosion, which was reportedly caused by the detonation of an unknown device.
Following the initiation of a criminal inquiry, Alexander Bortnikov, the head of FSB security service, mentioned on the SHOT Telegram channel that the suspect had fled to Turkey, with efforts underway to bring them back for prosecution.
Subsequently, the Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared on X that the suspect, a Russian citizen, was apprehended in Bodrum after flying in.
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This incident is the most recent in a string of car bombings that have occurred in Russia since it invaded Ukraine over two years ago.
In August 2022, the daughter of ultra-nationalist Putin supporter Alexander Dugin was fatally wounded in a bomb incident.
Additionally, in May 2023, pro-war blogger Zakhar Prilepin sustained serious injuries in an attack attributed by Russia’s foreign ministry to Ukraine.
Officials in Kyiv have refuted any involvement in the recent explosion, with presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak informing a Russian media source that Ukraine is not connected to the incident in any way.
