A senior Russian general, Yaroslav Moskalik, died in a car bombing outside Moscow. This occurred shortly before a meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. The explosion, caused by an improvised explosive device, is under investigation.
General Moskalik served as the deputy head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces. A Russian military blog described him as a demanding and disliked officer.
Witkoff's meeting with Putin was his fourth trip to Russia since President Trump's return to office and focused on ongoing negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine.
The assassination bears resemblance to past attacks on Russian officials, such as the killing of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov in December.
Russia's Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe into the bombing, and the investigation is underway.