Trump Responds to Car Bombing in Moscow That Claimed Life of Russian General
The Kremlin is suggesting that Ukraine may have been behind the assassination of Yaroslav Moskalik. US President Donald Trump has indicated he will investigate the assassination of a senior Russian general that occurred outside Moscow on Friday....
TroibNews 
The Kremlin is suggesting that Ukraine may have been behind the assassination of Yaroslav Moskalik.
US President Donald Trump has indicated he will investigate the assassination of a senior Russian general that occurred outside Moscow on Friday. He remarked to reporters, “That’s a big one.” This incident coincided with the arrival of Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Moscow for high-level discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Yaroslav Moskalik, the deputy chief of operations for Russia’s General Staff, died in a car bomb explosion outside his home in Balashikha, a suburb to the east of Moscow.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, implied a link to Ukrainian intelligence services, stating there is “reason to believe that Ukrainian intelligence services were involved in the assassination.” She pointed out that Moskalik had been part of negotiations aimed at resolving the Ukraine crisis prior to the conflict's escalation in 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also accused Ukraine, asserting: “The Kiev regime once again shows its essence,” and claiming the nation continues to “engage in terrorist activities” within Russia.
During a press briefing aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump, who was apparently unaware of the incident until questioned, said, “That’s hitting close to home, right? That’s a big one.” He added, “I’ll look at it. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
The assassination happened as Witkoff was in Moscow for discussions with Putin. Yury Ushakov, a Russian presidential adviser, characterized their three-hour meeting as “constructive and very useful in nature,” focusing on the resumption of direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev, which have been stagnant since spring 2022.
Regarding the talks, Trump mentioned that Russia and Ukraine “are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to.”
The agreement being proposed by Washington allegedly includes US recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, a “freezing” of the conflict along current front lines, and acknowledgment of Moscow's control over large portions of the four former Ukrainian regions that voted to join Russia. Furthermore, the deal would potentially restrict Ukraine's NATO aspirations and initiate a gradual lifting of sanctions against Russia.
However, Ukrainian President Zelensky has dismissed any possibility of territorial concessions to Moscow, emphasizing that Kiev will not entertain discussions on recognizing Crimea as Russian territory.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
US President Donald Trump has indicated he will investigate the assassination of a senior Russian general that occurred outside Moscow on Friday. He remarked to reporters, “That’s a big one.” This incident coincided with the arrival of Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Moscow for high-level discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Yaroslav Moskalik, the deputy chief of operations for Russia’s General Staff, died in a car bomb explosion outside his home in Balashikha, a suburb to the east of Moscow.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, implied a link to Ukrainian intelligence services, stating there is “reason to believe that Ukrainian intelligence services were involved in the assassination.” She pointed out that Moskalik had been part of negotiations aimed at resolving the Ukraine crisis prior to the conflict's escalation in 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also accused Ukraine, asserting: “The Kiev regime once again shows its essence,” and claiming the nation continues to “engage in terrorist activities” within Russia.
During a press briefing aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump, who was apparently unaware of the incident until questioned, said, “That’s hitting close to home, right? That’s a big one.” He added, “I’ll look at it. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
The assassination happened as Witkoff was in Moscow for discussions with Putin. Yury Ushakov, a Russian presidential adviser, characterized their three-hour meeting as “constructive and very useful in nature,” focusing on the resumption of direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev, which have been stagnant since spring 2022.
Regarding the talks, Trump mentioned that Russia and Ukraine “are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to.”
The agreement being proposed by Washington allegedly includes US recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, a “freezing” of the conflict along current front lines, and acknowledgment of Moscow's control over large portions of the four former Ukrainian regions that voted to join Russia. Furthermore, the deal would potentially restrict Ukraine's NATO aspirations and initiate a gradual lifting of sanctions against Russia.
However, Ukrainian President Zelensky has dismissed any possibility of territorial concessions to Moscow, emphasizing that Kiev will not entertain discussions on recognizing Crimea as Russian territory.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
