TWO Russian police officers killed in a bomb attack in Moscow had allegedly tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Ilya Klimanov, 24, and Maxim Gorbunov, 25, had both reportedly fought in Vladimir Putin’s deadly war before being blown up in a huge overnight explosion.
The young police lieutenants have been accused of working for the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and abusing POWs, according to sources in the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR).
Both men “sustained fatal injuries while on duty” after approaching a man at around 1:30am local time who was acting suspiciously in southern Moscow, according to Russian officials.
As they walked closer, an explosive device was reportedly thrown in their direction towards a car with a deadly blast throwing the men across the street.
Conflicting reports state that concerned residents saw a man wearing a mask and a hood run up to the officers near to Yasenevaya Street and throw a bag of explosives.
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Both cops died at the scene along with a third person who is believed to have likely been the bomber, according to local media.
At least one other person was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The police officers were later identified as participating in hostilities against Ukraine as part of the Russian occupation armysay sources within HUR.
It remains unclear if Ukraine orchestrated the attack and if they purposely targeted the two officers.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said investigators are now inspecting the area and carrying out forensic analysis from the blast site.
This includes “medical and explosive examinations” on cars in the area.
Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko has announced a criminal investigation has been opened.
Petrenko said: “The investigation is preparing the necessary materials for forensic examinations, including genetic, medical and explosive-technical analyses.
“The mechanism of the explosive devices’ activation is being established.
“Witnesses are being questioned, and surveillance camera footage is being reviewed.”
The blast took place less than 1,000ft away from where a deadly car explosion wiped out Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov earlier in the week.
Images show a decimated Kia Sorento, said to be owned by the top Russian general, surrounded by debris in the middle of a road.
Its doors had been blown open with a smashed up front bumper and multiple missing windows.
Sarvarov, 56, was notoriously known as the officer responsible for training Russia’s armed forces in the barbaric war with Ukraine.
He had fought in Chechnya and helped run Russia’s intervention in Syria.
His death marks the third senior Russian military leader to die this year in public attacks.
It remains unclear who was responsible for either of the deadly explosions this week.
But they are being seen as the latest flashpoints in an increasingly ruthless campaign of targeted assassinations stretching from Kyiv and Moscow to Spain.
His death follows a clear pattern of senior figures tied directly to the machinery of Putin’s war being hunted down inside Russia itself.
In April, Lt Gen Yaroslav Moskalik, a key figure in operational planning at Russia’s general staff, was killed by a car bomb in Moscow.
Earlier this year, Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, who ran Russia’s nuclear, chemical and biological protection forces, was killed by a remotely detonated device hidden inside an electric scooter.
Ukraine swiftly claimed responsibility for Kirillov’s killing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said he had received reports about the successful “liquidation” of Russian military leaders, though he did not name Moskalik directly.