A Russian military lieutenant colonel was killed in a car blast in St. Petersburg on Thursday, while his wife was seriously injured, Russian independent outlet Fontanka reported.
The explosion occurred at around 10 a.m. local time near a supermarket in the Sushary neighborhood, according to the report.
Russia’s Investigative Committee later confirmed that one person had died and another was hospitalized. However, authorities described the incident as a “vehicle fire” rather than an explosion and said a criminal investigation had been opened.
The identity and military role of the officer have not yet been officially disclosed.
Ukraine has carried out several targeted attacks against senior Russian military and security officials since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, including a number of car bombings.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials on Thursday’s incident.