A car carrying a Russian military officer and his wife exploded today in St. Petersburg, causing the soldier's instant death, Russian media report.

According to the local online newspaper Fontanka, the victim was a lieutenant colonel in the Russian army. His wife was injured and was transported to the hospital for medical attention.

Russia's Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal investigation into the explosion. Authorities have not officially confirmed whether the victim was a member of the military, while the Russian Telegram channel Mash identified him as a soldier. Footage posted on local Telegram channels, whose origin has not been independently verified, shows police and rescue workers on a blocked road, while the remains of a mangled car are seen at the scene.

⚡️ A Russian lieutenant colonel's car was blown up in St. Petersburg

The serviceman was killed at the scene, while his wife was hospitalized.

According to preliminary reports, an improvised explosive device detonated inside the car.

In the Slavyanka neighborhood, where the… pic.twitter.com/6xMfnUV32W

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 27, 2026

The incident comes at a time when Russia has repeatedly accused Ukraine of attacks and killings of senior military officials and individuals linked to Moscow's war effort. In some cases, Ukrainian sources have claimed responsibility for such attacks, while in others they have denied the allegations.

So far, Ukraine has not made any comment regarding the explosion in St. Petersburg.

On August 13, another Russian officer was killed in an explosion in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian authorities later arrested a woman suspected of carrying out the attack on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence services.