Car Bomb Kills Military Officer in St. Petersburg

Aug. 28, 2026 @fontankaspb / Telegram A Russian military official has been killed in a car explosion in St. Petersburg, investigators said Thursday, with local media identifying his rank as lieutenant colonel. The blast occurred around 10 a.m. local time near a supermarket in the Shushary neighborhood, the news outlet Fontanka reported. Investigators later confirmed the military official’s death but described the incident only as a “vehicle fire,” not an explosion. They also said his wife, who was also inside the car at the time of the blast, was receiving medical treatment. The Investigation Committee, Russia’s top investigative body, said it launched a criminal probe into the incident. Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out several assassinations of military officers since the full-scale invasion. Ukrainian sources have claimed responsibility for some of the attacks while denying involvement in others. Officials in Kyiv did not immediately comment on Thursday’s reported blast. On Friday, Fontanka reported that law enforcement had identified a 24-year-old woman who was allegedly recruited by Ukrainian handlers online and planted the “powerful and complex” bomb on Wednesday evening. She reportedly boarded a flight to Turkey early Thursday morning and, by the time Russian authorities contacted their Turkish colleagues, had already flown to Moldova. Exiled outlet Agentstvo said war monitoring Telegram channels identified the victim as 43-year-old Sergei Sechkov. The outlet said it confirmed Sechkov’s death with his father in brief online comments. Russian authorities have yet to identify the victim 24 hours after the bombing. A Russian military officer was last killed in a bomb attack in annexed Crimea earlier this month. Police arrested a woman suspected of assassinating him on behalf of Ukraine. Read more about: St. Petersburg , Russian military Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Mobile Internet Outages Hit St. Petersburg After Days of Disruptions in Moscow Nearly 2,500 complaints were logged after 6 a.m., with users saying messaging apps, websites and banking services were inaccessible. 2 Min read St. Petersburg Deploys AI Patrols to Spot Hazardous Icicles The new system, known as Gorodovoy, consists of eight vehicles that patrol the city and scan buildings as they pass. 1 Min read St. Petersburg Police Uncover Major Military Recruitment Scam A group of fraudsters allegedly posed as middlemen with connections in military enlistment offices and promised to help the recruits secure contracts in... 2 Min read Plaque Honoring North Korean Leader Unveiled in Russia's St. Petersburg A memorial plaque honoring North Korea's former leader Kim-Jong-Il was unveiled during an opening ceremony on Thursday in St. Petersburg, the Interfax...