A senior commander of a Russian military satellite has lost his feet in a car bomb attack in Moscow.
Andrei Torgashov, a 50-year-old colonel, and his wife Maya were getting into their Toyota Land Cruiser Prado near their home on Sinyavinskaya Street in northern Moscow when the vehicle exploded in a suspected assassination attempt.
According to Tsargrad media, the colonel, believed to be a GRU military intelligence officer, is in a “serious” condition following surgery to amputate both his legs following the explosion. His wife also suffered lacerations to her face.
The images show the massacre immediately after the explosion, which occurred just a few metres from a children’s playground.
This comes after it was revealed 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 authorities suspect the explosion in the Russian capital is linked to the 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 man was rushed to hospital after the blast and had both his legs amputated.
An initial police assessment determined that the cause of the explosion in the Toyota was a “detonation of an object installed in the car.”
In a video, smoke and engine parts can be seen scattered on the ground as people look on in the residential area.
Both the colonel and his wife were injured and were rescued from the vehicle by a passerby who gave them first aid.
They were then taken by ambulance to the hospital for treatment.
A witness said: “The explosion was very strong. The man’s feet were torn off, burned, and he was lying there charred.”
The witness also stated that there appeared to be a device in the car.
The colonel’s wife was not seriously injured: “She had a concussion and shrapnel had hit her in the face,” the witness added.
A new video appears to show the moment a man in a light-colored hoodie placed a bomb under the military officer’s car.
After the incident, people are seen helping the wounded commander, who managed to give himself first aid, using a shirt to bandage his legs.
After placing the explosive device, the man remained in a nearby playground for 11 minutes “reporting to his handlers,” according to Russian reports citing law enforcement.
Another look at the debris surrounding the car, which was just a few feet from a children’s playground (pictured top left)
Community members gather around the car that exploded on Sinyavinskaya Street in northern Moscow.
Torgashov’s wife, Maya, also suffered lacerations to her face after the blast.
The 50-year-old has a crucial role in managing and maintaining stable communication within the missile troops and various command posts.
It also plays a key role in organizing Russia’s missiles in its war effort.
An aerial view of Torgashov, who is receiving treatment after being the victim of an alleged murder attempt
Russian security forces suspect the explosion in the Russian capital is linked to the war in Ukraine.
The commander is the deputy head of military unit 33790, the top-secret 89th Satellite Communications Center of the Russian Armed Forces, which is connected to the Russian Strategic Missile Forces and is a radio transmitting center for secret military satellite communications.
This is crucial for managing and maintaining stable communication within the missile troops and between the various command posts. It also has links to Russia’s nuclear missiles as well as Putin’s overall war effort.
The cause of the Toyota Prado explosion was classified as “detonation of an object installed in the car”, according to an initial police assessment.
Police Major General Irina Volk said: “Officers are establishing the circumstances of the crime committed in the north of Moscow.”
“Operational search measures were being carried out to establish all the circumstances of the events, as well as the arrest of the persons involved in the commission of the crime.”