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FACTBOX: Senior Russian military officer killed in explosion near Moscow

The person is Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, the Russian Investigative Committee said

Yaroslav Moskalik Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

Yaroslav Moskalik

© Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

MOSCOW, April 25. /TASS/. A car explosion in the city of Balashikha near Moscow killed Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Russian Investigative Committee Spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said. The blast was caused by an improvised explosive device. An investigation is underway.

TASS has put together key facts about the incident.

Circumstances of the blast

- The car exploded near building No. 2 at Nesterova Boulevard in Balashikha.

- One person was killed.

- The person is Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, the Russian Investigative Committee said.

Investigation

- An investigation is underway into the crimes of murder and illegal trafficking of explosives.

- Investigators are headed to the crime scene, along with analysts and emergency response units of other law enforcement agencies.

- According to the Investigative Committee, the explosion was set off by the detonation of an improvised explosive device filled with submunitions.

- According to emergency response officials, the device had the explosive power of more than 300 grams of TNT. Its fragments will be sent for examination.

About Yaroslav Moskalik

- Yaroslav Moskalik, 59, served as deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

- He was represented the Defense Ministry in a variety of negotiations.

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