Car blast kills Russian serviceman near St. Petersburg as murder probe opens

A car exploded on Kolpinsky Highway in the Shushary district of St. Petersburg on the morning of November 12, killing a serviceman. Russian authorities confirmed the death and opened a murder investigation; media reports identified the serviceman as a colonel, though officials did not publicly confirm his rank. Preliminary accounts said an explosive device may have been placed beneath the car and remotely detonated. Early reports said a family member riding with him was injured, but one outlet later said the colonel was alone in the vehicle, leaving the passenger’s presence unclear.