A police officer was killed and two others injured in Moscow early Tuesday morning after an explosion near the Savyolovsky Train Station, Russian authorities reported. The blast, triggered by an “unidentified device,” also resulted in the death of the perpetrator, according to the local branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The incident occurred around midnight, as an unidentified individual approached officers conducting a patrol near the train station. “Today, at approximately 00:05 (21:05 GMT Monday), an unknown individual approached police officers… who were in a patrol vehicle on Savyolovo station square, and then an unidentified device exploded,” a source stated on Telegram, as reported by Le Figaro.
This attack follows a similar incident in December 2025, where two traffic police officers were killed in Moscow during an explosion while attempting to apprehend a suspect. The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case investigating both “encroachment on the life of a law enforcement officer” and “illegal trafficking” of explosive devices.
The explosion in Moscow comes amid growing concerns across Europe regarding potential Russian sabotage operations. Intelligence services have observed a pattern of acquisitions of properties – including isolated cottages, urban apartments, abandoned schools, warehouses, and even islands – in proximity to military bases and critical infrastructure. These purchases, often made by individuals linked to Russia, are raising fears that these locations could be used to establish listening posts, stockpile materials such as drones and explosives, and serve as launching points for disruptive activities.
European security officials are increasingly worried about Russia employing a “grey zone” strategy, involving actions severe enough to disrupt transportation, energy supplies, or communications, but ambiguous enough to avoid triggering a direct military response from NATO. “A sabotage campaign creates less consensus than an open military attack,” explained one intelligence official. “Denial, whether plausible or not, makes attribution uncertain and complicates the gathering of a common front.”
Finland has already taken steps to address the threat, imposing restrictions on property purchases by Russian nationals after a Russian company acquired an island in 2018 and subsequently installed surveillance infrastructure, including nine docks, a helipad, surveillance systems, and sophisticated communication equipment. Similar concerns have prompted the Baltic states to follow suit.
Norway is also investigating properties linked to individuals close to the Kremlin that overlook strategic military bases in the Arctic. Properties associated with the Russian Orthodox Church have also been acquired near naval and radar installations in Norway and Sweden, raising security concerns. In Sweden, a church constructed near a strategic airport has been assessed by intelligence services as a potential espionage platform.
Acquisitions linked to Russia have also been reported near naval bases in Sicily, Crete, and mainland Greece, as well as in proximity to sensitive sites in London, Paris, and Geneva. The director of the UK’s MI6, the equivalent of France’s DGSE, recently warned that the United Kingdom now operates “between peace and war.” Investigations have been launched into suspicious purchases near MI6 headquarters in London and the U.S. Embassy.
Despite these growing concerns, no coordinated European response has been implemented. Experts point to persistent legal loopholes and a lack of coordination between intelligence services. “As long as counter-espionage remains strictly national, it will struggle to respond to a threat that crosses all European borders,” a British security official stated.
Russia is reportedly shifting towards a more diffuse approach, making numerous smaller acquisitions to build a clandestine network across Europe, potentially to be activated during a major crisis. Intelligence officials note that China is pursuing a similar strategy, attempting to position itself near data centers. However, unlike China, Russia is believed to be considering taking action in the near term.
