A Russian serviceman has been killed in a car explosion in St Petersburg, according to local authorities.
The man died and his wife was injured when their car exploded in the Pushkinsky district on the outskirts of St Petersburg on Thursday morning, the Russian Investigative Committee's local branch said. The agency has not released the victim's identity or rank.
Fontanka, an online newspaper in Russia's second-largest city, identified the man as a 53-year-old lieutenant colonel, a senior military officer, and reported that he died immediately or shortly after the car's engine was started.
Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda reported that the lieutenant colonel served in the air force and the anti-aircraft missile units of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The explosion occurred around 10 a.m. local time (07:00 GMT), according to witnesses, who also said the blast completely destroyed the vehicle.
"Investigators and forensic experts, along with operational forces, are currently examining the scene," the Russian Investigative Committee said on Telegram.
The committee has officially opened a criminal investigation, but initially described the incident as a car fire rather than confirming an explosive device.
Moscow has accused Kyiv of carrying out assassinations targeting several senior Russian military officials amid the conflict in Ukraine. Kyiv has claimed responsibility in some cases while denying involvement in others.
Al Jazeera's Yulia Shapovalova, reporting from Moscow, said the latest death is "one of a series of assassinations" targeting senior Russian military figures.
Since Moscow launched its special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has seen a series of car bombings and targeted killings aimed at military commanders and prominent pro-war figures, not only in St Petersburg but also in Moscow, according to Shapovalova.
On August 5, the director of a factory supplying drones to the Russian military was seriously wounded and his driver killed when their car exploded 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) east of Moscow.
No group has claimed responsibility for the latest explosion, and Ukraine has not issued an official comment.
