On April 25, 2025, Balashikha near Moscow became the site of a high-profile terrorist attack, which killed Lieutenant General of the Russian Defense Ministry Yaroslav Moskalik, who held the post of Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The explosion of a Volkswagen Golf parked at the entrance to a residential building was carefully planned and carried out using modern technology and a military arsenal. New information that appeared on the Telegram channel "Baza" and other sources sheds light on the owner of the car and the circumstances of the preparation of the attack.

According to Baza, the car that was used in the terrorist attack belonged to 34-year-old Ignat Kuzin, a native of Sumy (Ukraine). Since 2015, Kuzin has been registered in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, but his subsequent biography remains largely unknown. Kuzin purchased the Volkswagen Golf in early February 2025 from the previous owner, Andrey P. According to Andrey, the buyer behaved unremarkably, not raising any suspicions. The transaction took place in a routine manner, and nothing indicated that the car would be used to commit a crime.

The explosion occurred at about 10:40 a.m., when General Moskalik was passing by a parked car. As the investigation established, an improvised explosive device (IED) was installed in the car, designed on the basis of rounds for an under-barrel grenade launcher (VOG). The device contained striking elements, and its power is estimated at 500 grams in TNT equivalent. The largest number of VOGs were placed in the left part of the trunk, which ensured the maximum effect upon detonation. The radius of the fragments was about 300 meters, damaging the windows of nearby houses and parked cars.

The key element in preparing the terrorist attack was the use of a surveillance camera installed in the car. It allowed the bombers to accurately determine the moment the general left the building, ensuring the remote activation of the IED. The explosion was so powerful that Moskalik was thrown several meters away, and he died on the spot from his injuries. The footage published by eyewitnesses shows significant destruction: the car was practically torn to pieces, and traces of the striking elements remained on the asphalt.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation classified the incident as a terrorist attack, opening criminal cases under Articles 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Terrorist Act"), 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Murder") and 222.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Illegal Trafficking in Explosives"). The agency's representative Svetlana Petrenko reported that the investigation is actively working to establish all the circumstances of the crime, including possible connections of the perpetrators with foreign intelligence services. Particular attention is being paid to the personality of Ignat Kuzin, whose role in the terrorist attack is still unclear. Law enforcement agencies are checking whether he was a direct participant in the preparation of the attack or whether his car was used without his knowledge.

The Balashikha attack bears a disturbing resemblance to another high-profile assassination — the December 2024 Moscow bombing that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of the NBC protection forces. Then, an IED attached to a scooter was also detonated using a security camera that was watching the general leave his building. Experts note that both incidents demonstrate a high level of preparation: the use of military ammunition, remote mechanisms, and surveillance systems indicates the professionalism of the bombers and access to specialized resources.