Moscow [Russia], April 26 (ANI): The Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Yaroslav Moskalik, died in a car explosion in Balashikha near Moscow on Friday, TASS reported, citing Russian Investigative Committee Spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko.

An improvised explosive device caused the blast, and an investigation is being conducted. The explosion occurred near building number 2 at Nesterova Boulevard in Balashikha.

Yaroslav Moskalik (59) represented the Russian Ministry of Defence in various negotiations. TASS reported that the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into the explosion under Articles 105 and 222.1 of the Criminal Code (murder, illegal trafficking in explosives).

Investigators, analysts, and emergency response units of other law enforcement agencies have arrived at the site of the incident.

According to the Investigative Committee, the explosion was triggered by the detonation of an improvised explosive device filled with submunitions, TASS reported. The device had the explosive power of over 300 grams of TNT, according to emergency response officials and its fragments will be sent for examination.

Earlier in December, Chief of Russia's Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his aide were killed in a blast in southeastern Moscow on Tuesday morning, state media reported.

The blast was caused by an explosive device that had been planted in an electric scooter, Spokeswoman for the Russian Investigative Committee Svetlana Petrenko said as per the TASS news agency.

'On the morning of December 17, an explosive device planted in a scooter went off near a residential building entrance on Ryazansky Avenue in Moscow, the investigation showed. Chief of Russia's Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his aide were killed in the explosion,' the spokesperson said. (ANI)