An explosive device detonated near Moscow’s Savyolovsky rail station just after midnight Tuesday, killing a police officer and the suspected attacker. Two additional officers were injured and transported to a city hospital. Russian authorities have opened a terrorism investigation as questions mount over possible foreign involvement.
The blast occurred near the Savyolovsky railway station, a major passenger hub in downtown Moscow. Early reports indicate the suspect approached a marked police vehicle and detonated an explosive device in what investigators describe as an apparent suicide attack. The police car sustained heavy damage, including shattered windows, but it did not catch fire.
Russia’s Investigative Committee identified the suspect as a 22-year-old male from the Udmurt Republic in western Russia. Authorities said one traffic officer died at the scene from injuries “incompatible with life,” while two others were hospitalized and are receiving medical treatment.
Later Tuesday, the Russian Interior Ministry named the fallen officer as Lt. Denis Bratuschentko, 34. He joined the traffic police force in 2019 and is survived by his wife and two children. The ministry extended condolences to his family, describing him as a dedicated public servant.
The Udmurt Republic, sometimes referred to as Udmurtiya, is home to the Udmurt ethnic group and is politically dominated by the ruling United Russia party. While the region has not been widely associated with violent unrest, it was targeted days earlier in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, a state-owned defense enterprise known for producing Iskander ballistic missiles.
At a security meeting Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin suggested the bomber may have been recruited online and described him as a possible “unwitting accomplice” of Ukrainian intelligence. Putin accused Ukraine of attempting provocations designed to disrupt peace efforts brokered by the United States.
Putin directed the Federal Security Service to increase protection for Defense Ministry officials, defense industry facilities, and state and municipal authorities. He stated that terrorist activity had increased over the past year and asserted that Ukrainian operatives were responsible for several incidents.
Investigators continue to review evidence and determine whether the attacker acted alone or was part of a broader network. Security has been heightened in Moscow as officials work to prevent further attacks.
