A car bomb explosion in Moscow has severely injured a former aide to Ukraine’s pro-Russian ex-prime minister, a day after another blast killed a senior Russian military officer in St Petersburg.
According to The Guardian, Sergei Zavorotniy, 72, was seriously wounded when a bomb exploded in southern Moscow on Friday morning.
Russian media reported that Zavorotniy lost his left arm and suffered fractured ribs, concussion and other injuries. He was reportedly placed in an induced coma.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation into the explosion.
Zavorotniy previously served as an adviser and spokesman for former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, who fled to Russia following Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan revolution.
A 2020 US Senate intelligence report identified him as an officer of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service involved in influence operations.
The Moscow attack followed Thursday’s car bombing in St Petersburg, which reportedly killed a Russian air force colonel.
Local outlet Fontanka reported that a suspect had monitored the officer’s movements for months before allegedly planting a remotely detonated bomb.
