A car bombing in Moscow has left an adviser to a former Ukrainian prime minister in critical condition, occurring just one day after a similar attack killed a military officer in St. Petersburg. These incidents are the latest in a string of violent attacks targeting individuals connected to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with Russian authorities attributing the violence to Kyiv.
Moscow Explosion Targets Former Adviser
The Moscow incident involved an explosive device planted beneath a vehicle driven by Sergei Zavorotnyi. According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the device was detonated remotely while the car was in motion. Zavorotnyi, 72, previously served as an adviser to Mykola Azarov, who was the prime minister under former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Azarov, who currently resides in Russia, told state-run television that he was shocked by the attack and suggested his former adviser was targeted due to his vocal criticism of the Ukrainian government.
Zavorotnyi, a former journalist for the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, had authored a book regarding the 2014 ouster of Yanukovych and operated an online platform critical of current Ukrainian authorities. Reporting for Al Jazeera from Moscow, Yulia Shapovalova noted that Zavorotnyi remains in a coma following the blast, which reportedly resulted in the loss of his left arm and various other injuries. The Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal inquiry into the explosion.
Fatal Attack in St. Petersburg
The Moscow bombing followed a separate attack on Thursday in St. Petersburg, where a military serviceman was killed by a bomb placed under his vehicle. While the Investigative Committee confirmed the death of a military member, they have not released the victim’s identity or named any suspects. Initial reports from the news outlet Fontanka suggested the victim was a colonel, while other Russian media outlets identified him as a senior air force officer. However, Shapovalova reported that preliminary findings indicate the victim was a military serviceman rather than an air force colonel.
Authorities have noted that both the St. Petersburg and Moscow attacks involved explosive devices triggered remotely. Russian officials maintain that these operations are orchestrated by the Ukrainian side. Ukrainian authorities have not issued any comments regarding either of the two bombings.
