A senior commander of a Russian satellite force had his feet blown off in a car bomb in Moscow.
Andrei Torgashov, 50, a colonel, and his wife Maya were getting into their Toyota Land Cruiser Prado near their home on Sinyavinskaya Street in northern Moscow when the car exploded. The vehicle was believed to have been used for an assassination attempt.
The colonel, believed to be a GRU military intelligence officer, is said to be in a “serious” condition following surgery to amputate both legs after the explosion, Tsargrad media reported. His wife also suffered cuts to her face.
Footage shows a bloodbath taking place just metres away from a children’s playground shortly after the explosion.
The announcement comes after it emerged that at least 12 Russian soldiers were killed and another 30 hospitalised after eating watermelons poisoned by Ukrainian resistance fighters in an occupied town.
Russian law enforcement suspects explosion in Russian capital is linked to war in Ukraine
Andrei Torgashov (pictured) is the deputy head of military unit 33790, the top-secret 89th Satellite Communications Center of the Russian Armed Forces.
The 50-year-old was rushed to hospital after the explosion and had both legs amputated
An initial police investigation revealed that the cause of the explosion in the Toyota was a “detonation of an object installed in the car”
Exhaust fumes and engine parts can be seen on video strewn across the ground as people in the residential area look on.
Both the Colonel and his wife were injured and were pulled from the car by a passer-by, who administered first aid.
They were then taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment.
A witness said: ‘The explosion was very strong. The man’s feet were torn off, burned, he was completely charred.’
The witness also stated that it appeared as if there was a device in the car.
The colonel’s wife was not seriously injured. “She had a concussion and shrapnel hit her face,” the witness added.
A new video shows a man in a light-colored hoodie placing a bomb under a soldier’s car.
After the disaster, people can be seen helping the wounded commander. The commander managed to give himself first aid by using a shirt to bandage his legs.
After planting the explosive, the man remained at a nearby playground for 11 minutes to check in with his supervisors, according to Russian reports cited by police.
Another view of the debris surrounding the car, which was just meters away from a children’s playground (photo above left)
Community members stand around the car explosion that occurred on Sinyavinskaya Street in northern Moscow
Torgashov’s wife Maya also suffered cuts to her face from the explosion
The 50-year-old plays a crucial role in managing and maintaining stable communications within the missile forces and various command posts
He also plays a key role in organizing Russian missiles in their war effort
An aerial view of Torgashov, who receives treatment after being the victim of a suspected assassination attempt
Russian police suspect that the explosion in the Russian capital is related to the war in Ukraine.
The commander is deputy head of military unit 33790, the top-secret 89th Satellite Communications Center of the Russian Armed Forces, which is attached to the Russian Strategic Missile Forces and is a radio transmission center for secret military satellite communications.
This is crucial for managing and maintaining stable communications within the missile forces and between different command posts. It also has links to Russia’s nuclear missiles and Putin’s overall war effort.
According to initial assessments by police, the explosion in the Toyota Prado was caused by “the detonation of an object installed in the car.”
Police General Irina Volk said: “Officers are investigating the circumstances of the crime committed in the north of Moscow.”
They carried out ‘operational searches aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the incident, as well as the arrest of the persons involved in the commission of the offence.’