Police officer killed in suicide bombing in Moscow

A traffic police officer was killed and two others injured after a man detonated a homemade explosive device near Savyolovsky Station in northeast Moscow, Russian authorities said.

Investigators said the attacker threw an improvised explosive device (IED) at a police car before dying at the scene. Preliminary information indicates the perpetrator was killed in the blast, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

Two other officers were hospitalised with injuries. One suffered a concussion, while the other sustained facial burns and a concussion. Both are receiving medical treatment at a city hospital, officials said.

Images circulating online show severe damage to the police vehicle, with doors torn apart, windows shattered and the roof visibly bent by the force of the explosion, suggesting the device was highly powerful.

The Moscow branch of the Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case under Article 317 of the Russian Criminal Code (“Attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer”) and Part 1 of Article 222.1 (“Illegal trafficking in explosive devices”).

Authorities have not confirmed whether the attacker had accomplices. Russian media reported that a man dressed in black with a short haircut was seen filming the attack before fleeing the area, though this has not been officially verified.

In a statement, the Moscow Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said police are continuing investigative work in coordination with other law enforcement agencies.

By Sabina Mammadli