What's happened
A senior Russian general, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, was killed in a car bomb in southern Moscow. Russian investigators suspect Ukrainian special forces were behind the attack, which occurred amid ongoing US-Russia talks on Ukraine. Kyiv has not commented on the incident.
What's behind the headline?
The killing of Lieutenant General Sarvarov signals a sharp escalation in the covert conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The suspected involvement of Ukrainian special forces indicates a shift towards targeted assassinations aimed at destabilizing Russian military leadership. This event occurs amidst ongoing US diplomatic efforts, suggesting Ukraine may be leveraging covert operations to influence negotiations. The attack could provoke Russia to intensify its military and security measures, potentially escalating the broader conflict. The timing, during US-Russia talks, underscores the strategic importance of this assassination, which may serve as a message to both Moscow and Washington about the resilience of Ukrainian resistance. The incident also raises questions about the effectiveness of international diplomacy when covert hostilities continue unabated, and it highlights the risk of further escalation in the conflict.
What the papers say
The reports from SBS and The New Arab both confirm the incident and suggest Ukrainian involvement, with SBS emphasizing the suspicion of Ukrainian special services and showing a video of the wrecked car. The New Arab notes the lack of Ukrainian comment but highlights the pattern of similar targeted killings. The sources differ slightly in tone; SBS provides more graphic detail, while The New Arab emphasizes the ongoing investigation and the broader context of Ukraine's resistance. Both sources agree on the significance of the event amid diplomatic efforts, illustrating the complex and covert nature of the conflict.
How we got here
The attack follows a series of targeted killings of Russian military figures, often attributed to Ukrainian forces. The incident occurs during a period of diplomatic efforts by the US to broker peace in Ukraine, with recent talks in Miami. The killing of Sarvarov marks a significant escalation in covert hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in