Russian general killed as Trump envoy meets Putin

Yaroslav Moskalik died in a car bomb explosion just hours before Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow

- ANDY GREGORY ALEX CROFT

A senior Russian general was assassinated in a car bombing near Moscow yesterday, where Donald Trump’s envoy was meeting with Vladimir Putin to discuss Ukraine peace proposals. Russia’s investigative committee said Yaroslav Moskalik, a deputy chief in the general staff of Russia’s armed forces, was killed by an explosive device that was placed in his car and rigged with shrapel in Balashikha, a city 20km (13 miles) east of Moscow.

Russian media ran videos of a vehicle burning in the courtyard of an apartment building. It marks the second such killing of a top general in Moscow, following the death of Russia’s chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov in December. Kyiv took responsibility for Kirillov’s death, accusing him of involvement in war crimes.

The bombing, which is reported by the Kommersant newspaper to have killed a second person, came as real-estate mogul turned Trump envoy Steve Witkoff was meeting with Mr Putin in the Russian capital to discuss Washington’s peace proposals. Kremlin footage showed Mr Witkoff and Mr Putin shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries before sitting down on opposite sides of a white oval table, in what was their fourth lengthy meeting since February.

Mr Witkoff – who has alarmed Kyiv’s allies by praising Mr Putin as “super smart” and not a “bad guy” while also parroting Kremlin propaganda – was seen strolling through central Moscow with senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev prior to the three-hour meeting. Afterwards, the Kremlin said the meeting had been constructive and had helped to narrow the differences over ending Russia’s war, with the possibility of direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow also discussed.