Car bomb kills Russian general while US envoy presses for truce

A high-ranking Russian general was killed in a car bombing outside Moscow on Friday, April 25, just as U.S. officials held a new round of peace talks with Russian leaders over the war in Ukraine. Radio Free Europe reports Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy head of Russia’s Main Operational Directorate, died after a vehicle exploded in Balashikha, a suburb about 10 miles from Moscow.

Russia’s Investigative Committee said the car had been rigged with a shrapnel-packed improvised explosive device and has opened a criminal case.

Surveillance footage appeared to show the explosion occurring as Moskalik approached the vehicle. Local outlets cited unnamed sources, who claimed the device was detonated remotely and that Moskalik had been under surveillance through a camera hidden in the car.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said there were “grounds to believe” Ukrainian special services were involved, though officials have not presented public evidence. Ukrainian authorities have not commented.

Past high-profile killings in Russia

Moskalik is the second Russian general to be killed by a car bomb in the last four months. In December 2024, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov — head of Russia’s Radiation, Biological and Chemical Protection Forces — was killed when an explosive planted in an electric scooter detonated outside his apartment. Ukraine’s domestic security agency, the SBU, later confirmed responsibility for that operation.

Ukrainian special services have also claimed previous targeted attacks against senior Russian military personnel, including the November 2024 car bombing that killed Russian naval officer Valery Trankovsky in Crimea.

Who was Lt. Gen. Moskalik?

Moskalik held a senior role in Russia’s general staff and participated in negotiations tied to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Pro-Russian military bloggers described Moskalik as a demanding officer known for his tough standards. The Rybar channel, which has close ties to Russia’s defense establishment, said the general was “not well-liked” due to his insistence on results.

How is this connected to ongoing peace talks?

The bombing happened during U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s fourth meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin since February — part of ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the three-year war. Both sides said the latest talks focused on U.S.-brokered proposals for a ceasefire and wider international concerns. The Kremlin called the talks “constructive,” while U.S. officials offered few details.

President Donald Trump’s administration has proposed increasingly favorable terms to Russia, including U.S. recognition of Crimea, in exchange for a ceasefire. In an interview with Time, Trump said, “Crimea will stay with Russia.”

Ukraine accepted a ceasefire proposal in March, but Russia has not, and has continued to attack Ukrainian civilian targets. Witkoff recently presented a new plan in Paris — described by officials as the United States’ “final offer” — which would lift post-2014 sanctions and open the door to renewed trade in energy and other sectors.

What’s next for US-Russia negotiations?

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has demanded a ceasefire before discussing territorial concessions, the U.S. appears to be pushing for a swift resolution. Officials say no formal agreement has been reached. The American “final offer” grants sweeping privileges and concessions to Russia, and it is unclear whether Ukraine would ultimately accept those terms.

The Kremlin has used the latest assassination to argue that Ukraine is escalating the conflict, a claim it has repeated in past attacks attributed to Ukraine.

Russia, however, has continued to launch attacks against Ukraine, and recently conducted its largest assault on Kyiv since last summer, an attack that Ukraine also called an escalation.