Moscow (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A bomb in Moscow killed two police officers and a civilian near the site where a Russian general was recently killed in his vehicle.
As reported by Guy Faulconbridge and Lidia Kelly of Reuters, two police officers and a civilian were killed in Moscow near the site of Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov’s car bombing on December 22.
How did a Moscow explosion claim three lives near Lt. Gen. Sarvarov’s car bombing?
Several Russian military officials and prominent supporters of the Ukraine war have been killed over the nearly four-year conflict, with Ukrainian intelligence claiming responsibility for some attacks.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, an explosive device killed two police officers who approached a suspicious man, with a third person also dying.
Authorities said they have launched a criminal investigation into the murder of law enforcement officers and the illegal trafficking of explosives.
A nearby resident, Alexander, said,
“There was an explosion. It was a loud bang—like the car blast a few days ago.”
Another local, Roza, said the explosion woke her in the early hours and caused the entire building to tremble.
According to unofficial Russian sources, the attacker, killed in the blast, triggered the bomb when confronted by police, though Reuters could not verify the report.
Russia blamed Ukraine for the killing, while Kyiv has not commented. The unofficial Ukrainian website Myrotvorets stated that 56-year-old Lt. Gen. Sarvarov had been “liquidated.”
What happened during the overnight Ukrainian drone raids on Moscow and Tula?
Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow overnight, sparking a fire at an industrial site in the Tula region. According to Mayor Sobyanin, at least three drones targeting the capital were intercepted.
Authorities said emergency teams were deployed to sites hit by falling drone debris, though no immediate damage was reported. Russia’s civil aviation authority said two of the four main airports serving Moscow had reduced operations.
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, 172 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight by air defence units, with nearly half intercepted over regions near the Ukraine border.
Governor Dmitry Milyaev said that debris from a downed Ukrainian drone caused a fire at an industrial site. He did not provide further details and said 12 drones were shot down over the region.
Kyiv has intensified drone strikes, targeting military, energy, and logistics sites to disrupt Moscow’s war operations in response to ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine.
What did Pope Leo say about Russia rejecting the Christmas Day peace request?
Pope Leo expressed “deep sadness” that Russia did not agree to observe a Christmas ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
The pope said,
“Among the things that cause me much sadness is that apparently Russia has refused a ceasefire request.”
He added,
“I will make an appeal one more time to people of good will to respect at least Christmas day as a day of peace. Maybe they will listen to us and there will be at least 24 hours, a day of peace, across the world.”
What did Volodymyr Zelensky say about draft documents after US-Ukraine talks?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that several draft documents, including those on security guarantees, were prepared following meetings between Ukrainian officials and their US counterparts in Miami to discuss ending Russia’s war.
He added,
“They worked productively with envoys of President Trump and several draft documents have now been prepared. In particular, these include documents on security guarantees for Ukraine, on recovery, and on a basic framework for ending this war.”
The meetings in Miami were described by US, Ukrainian, and Russian envoys as “productive and constructive.” However, no breakthrough was achieved, and major hurdles such as territorial control remain unresolved.
How many people have died in Ukraine since the war started?
The UN has verified 13,883 civilian deaths as of July 31, 2025, but notes the actual figure is likely higher. This number covers the period from Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, but does not include military casualties for this phase.
For the earlier phase of the war in eastern Ukraine from 2014 to 2021, the UN estimates 14,200-14,400 total deaths, including civilians, Ukrainian forces, and separatist fighters.