Moscow blast: Cop killed as attacker blows himself up near patrol vehicle

Moscow: An unidentified attacker detonated an explosive device near a traffic police patrol vehicle in central Moscow shortly after midnight on Tuesday, killing a police officer and himself and injuring two other officers, authorities said.

The explosion took place on the fourth anniversary of President Vladimir Putin ordering Russian troops into Ukraine.

The blast happened near the Savyolovsky railway station in the Russian capital, according to the Moscow branch of the Interior Ministry. The injured officers were taken to hospital for treatment.

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Officials said the assailant approached the police vehicle before triggering the device, which killed one officer at the scene.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal probe into the incident but has not disclosed the attacker’s identity, motive or further details.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.

The war has killed tens of thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of military personnel on both sides. Millions of refugees have fled Ukraine, where vast areas have been devastated by fighting