A Russian military serviceman was reportedly killed and his wife injured after a car exploded in St Petersburg on Thursday morning, according to Russian media reports. The blast occurred around 10 am local time near a supermarket in the Sushary residential neighbourhood in the city’s Pushkinsky district. The injured woman was taken to hospital for treatment. Local online newspaper Fontanka identified the deceased as a lieutenant colonel, while the Mash Telegram channel also reported that the victims were a military serviceman and his wife, according to a Reuters report. The identity and military status of the deceased, however, had not been officially confirmed by Russia’s Investigative Committee.

Preliminary reports cited by The Moscow Times indicated that an improvised explosive device (IED) may have detonated inside the vehicle. The blast caused the car to catch fire and resulted in the death of one person, while another person sustained injuries. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the nature of the suspected explosive device or provided details about how it was placed inside the vehicle. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal case following the incident. The agency confirmed that a vehicle had caught fire, leaving one person dead and another injured, but did not identify the deceased as a military officer. Investigators are expected to examine the vehicle and the surrounding area as part of the probe.

The explosion took place in Sushary, a residential area within St Petersburg’s Pushkinsky district. Emergency services responded to the scene after the blast, while investigators began examining the circumstances surrounding the incident. Authorities have yet to announce a motive or identify anyone suspected of being responsible. The reports of the victim’s military background have attracted particular attention because of the deceased man’s alleged rank. Fontanka described him as a lieutenant colonel, but the absence of official confirmation means his precise role within the Russian military remains unclear. Officials have so far limited their public statements to confirming the fatality, injury and launch of a criminal investigation.

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The incident comes amid heightened security concerns in Russia, where authorities have investigated a number of explosions and attacks in recent years. However, there was no immediate official indication that Thursday’s St Petersburg blast was connected to any broader campaign or conflict-related activity. Investigators will now examine whether the explosion was deliberately caused, how the suspected device was triggered and whether the victims were specifically targeted. Forensic teams are also expected to analyse the remains of the vehicle and other evidence collected from the scene.

The condition of the injured woman was not immediately detailed beyond reports that she had been taken to hospital. Authorities have also not released further information about the circumstances immediately before the explosion. The conflicting levels of confirmation surrounding the deceased man’s reported military status remain significant. While Russian media have identified him as a military officer and one report described him as a lieutenant colonel, the Investigative Committee has not confirmed those details. The investigation is continuing, and further information is expected as authorities establish the cause and circumstances of the explosion.

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