Russian General Killed in Car Bombing as Ukraine War Rages On

A high-ranking Russian general was killed Friday in a car bombing near Moscow, as diplomatic efforts to halt the war in Ukraine continue amid ongoing bloodshed.

Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, Deputy Head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, died in a blast in Balashikha, a city just outside the capital. Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) packed with shrapnel. No group has yet claimed responsibility.

The assassination occurred around the same time U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff was in Moscow meeting with President Vladimir Putin to discuss a potential ceasefire proposal. Witkoff has not publicly addressed the bombing.

The attack comes a day after a deadly Russian missile strike on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said killed 12 people and injured nearly 90 more. Over 30 remain hospitalized, including victims with severe injuries and amputations.

Zelensky alleged the missile used in the attack was supplied by North Korea and included over 100 components manufactured outside of Russia—many of them from American companies. He renewed calls for increased international pressure on Moscow, stating that while Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire proposal from former U.S. President Donald Trump 45 days ago, “Russia rejects all of this.”

“We have proposed a ceasefire in the skies, at sea, and along the front lines,” Zelensky wrote on social media. “Russia must immediately and unconditionally agree to stop targeting civilians.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CBS News that Moscow was open to negotiating a peace deal but said several key terms still needed to be resolved.

Friday’s developments underscore the deepening volatility of the ongoing conflict, with efforts for peace continuing in parallel with deadly escalations.