Russian lieutenant colonel dies when vehicle explodes in St. Petersburg

On Thursday, a vehicle transporting a Russian military lieutenant colonel and his wife detonated in St. Petersburg, resulting in the officer's immediate death and injuries to his spouse. The online Fontanka newspaper named the deceased as a lieutenant colonel, and his wife was rushed to a medical facility. Russia's Investigative Committee launched a criminal investigation after the car caught fire, but it did not confirm the victim's military status.

Telegram sources identified the pair as a serviceman and his wife, and video shared on local channels showed police and rescue teams amid scattered car fragments. Moscow has previously attributed similar killings of senior military figures to Ukrainian special services, though Ukraine has not commented on this case. The latest blast follows a bomb attack in Russian-annexed Crimea that also targeted a Russian officer.