A car bomb in the Moscow region has killed a Russian general responsible for heavy ammunition supplies, according to reports. The explosion occurred in Balashikha, killing the driver identified as Damir Davydov, head of the Russian defence ministry’s missile and artillery directorate. A second car bomb was discovered in southwest Moscow and was detonated by authorities.
Assassinations and Fuel Disruptions
Throughout the war, several high-ranking Russian military officials have been assassinated, with Ukrainian security services either claiming responsibility or being blamed by Russian authorities. Meanwhile, disruptions to fuel supplies have triggered panic buying in Russia’s Krasnodar region, as Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure continue to affect fuel deliveries across southern regions and Russian-occupied Crimea. On Tuesday, emergency services extinguished an oil depot fire in Ust-Labinsk, Krasnodar, following a Ukrainian drone attack on Saturday.
Governor Veniamin Kondratyev stated that many residents decided to stock up on gasoline amid the difficult situation in neighboring regions, causing artificial panic buying. In the Rostov region, a Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire in a fuel tank early Wednesday, according to Governor Yuri Slyusar, who reported no immediate casualties.
Explosion in Dagestan
In Russia’s Dagestan region, an explosion rocked the town of Kizilyurt after a gas pipeline burst. The mayor’s office reported that a gas distribution station was engulfed in flames, according to Interfax.
EU Sanctions and Ukraine Progress
The European Union is proposing a ban on Russian soldiers entering member states as part of new sanctions targeting banks, crypto firms, and Kremlin oil revenues. The European Commission aims to maintain a $44 price cap on Russian oil until January 2027, add 30 shadow fleet oil tankers to its blacklist, and extend sanctions against cryptocurrency firms, banks, and oil traders aiding Russia. For the first time, the proposals include a ban on Russian fish imports, particularly cod, and restrictions on other species. The EU also intends to ban imports of Russian metals, ores, and car parts worth €60 million, while restricting exports of metals and alloys used in aerospace and defense, including drone equipment.
Missing from the sanctions list are EU alumina exports, which have been scrutinized after investigative journalists revealed shipments from the Russian-owned Aughinish plant in Ireland to Siberia for aluminum production.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed progress on Ukraine’s EU accession talks, with the first chapters on rule of law and democratic standards expected to open next week. She praised Ukraine’s extraordinary reform progress.
Zelenskyy Meets Nordic Leaders; Bulgaria Changes Stance
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Nordic and Baltic leaders in Estonia on Tuesday, following incidents where Ukrainian drones were diverted into their countries by Russian electronic warfare. Zelenskyy pledged to help with low-cost drone defenses, citing success in the Middle East.
Bulgaria’s new defence minister, Dimitar Stoyanov, announced that Bulgaria will no longer provide arms to Ukraine, urging Moscow and Kyiv to negotiate. This shift follows the appointment of pro-Russian former president Rumen Radev as prime minister.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there are no plans for a call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, though American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner maintain contacts with both sides. Peskov dismissed the EU as a potential mediator, stating that conditions imposed on Russia are unacceptable.
