High-ranking Russian general killed in car explosion near Moscow

A high-ranking Russian military official, Yaroslav Moskalik, was killed in a car explosion near Moscow. The explosion occurred just hours before a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Steve Witkoff, a representative of Donald Trump, that was supposed to take place in the Kremlin. According to the Telegram channel Baza, the bomb, which was in a parked car in the city of Balashikha, exploded remotely as Moskalik passed by. "Based on the available data, the explosion is attributed to the detonation of a homemade explosive device filled with destructive elements," said a statement from the investigative committee. There is speculation that the bomb may have been planted by the Ukrainian side, as it appears similar to previous Ukrainian attacks on Russia. The explosion followed the recent Russian missile attack on Kiev, which killed 12 people and injured several others. Moskalik, who held the rank of lieutenant general, was involved in several high-level Russian foreign delegations, including talks with Ukraine and Western officials. Kiev has not yet commented on the explosion, while the Russian Investigative Committee has launched an investigation into the incident.