Moscow, Russia – A powerful explosion rocked the Orekhovo-Borisovo district south of Moscow on Monday morning, killing a high-ranking military official in the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. This incident has been described as one of the most serious assassinations targeting military leaders within Russia since the start of the Ukrainian war.
Details of the assassination: A well-designed explosive device
The Russian Investigative Committee announced the death of Lieutenant General Fanil Sarfarov, head of the operational training department of the General Staff. He was killed when an explosive device planted under his car detonated as it was parked on Yassinevaya Street.
Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko explained that Sarfarov died from severe injuries sustained in an explosion that occurred early in the morning in a residential parking garage.
Preliminary investigations and indictment hypotheses
Russian authorities have opened a criminal case under the charge of “assassination,” while not ruling out the possibility of involvement by hostile intelligence agencies.
According to Russian media reports, Sarfarov’s name had previously appeared on the Ukrainian website Myrotforts. This website is known for publishing information on individuals whom Kyiv considers adversaries or threats to Ukrainian national security, further fueling suspicions about the motives behind the operation.
Who is General Vanil Sarfarov?
Lieutenant General Fanil Sarfarov is one of the most prominent officers in the Russian military establishment. He has a long career in both armored warfare and operational planning.
Sarfarov was born on March 11, 1969, in the Perm region of Russia. He studied at the Tank Command School in Kazan (1990) and the Military Academy of Armored Forces (1999).
He is a graduate of the Military Academy of the General Staff (2008), the highest military educational institution in Russia.
Sarfarov served as head of the Operational Training Department of the General Staff. This position is highly sensitive, involving combat readiness planning, evaluating the effectiveness of military units, and overseeing strategic training programs.
