A Russian military serviceman was killed on Thursday when a car carrying him and his wife exploded in St. Petersburg, Russian media reported.

The man, identified by online media in the city as a lieutenant colonel, died instantly in the explosion, while his wife was injured and taken to hospital.

Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that a criminal case had been opened after a car caught fire, leaving one person dead and another injured.

It did not, however, identify the deceased as a military officer.

The Mash Telegram channel reported that the victims were a military serviceman and his wife.

Unverified videos shared by local Telegram channels showed emergency responders and police at the scene, where debris from the damaged vehicle was scattered across a cordoned-off street.

Russia has previously accused Ukraine of involvement in the killings of senior military officers and individuals associated with Moscow’s war effort.

Ukrainian sources have claimed responsibility for some attacks while denying involvement in others.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on Thursday’s explosion.

On August 13, a Russian military officer was killed in a bomb attack in Russian-annexed Crimea.

Russian authorities later arrested a woman suspected of assassinating on behalf of Ukrainian special services.

(NAN)