Russian investigators have formally charged 42-year-old Ignat Kuzin with terrorism for allegedly assassinating senior Russian general Yaroslav Moskalik in a car bombing outside Moscow. The Russian Investigative Committee announced Sunday that Kuzin, who previously lived in Ukraine, could face life imprisonment if convicted of the attack they claim was orchestrated by Ukrainian security services for an $18,000 payment.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Kuzin on Saturday and released interrogation footage showing his confession, though the conditions under which it was obtained remain unclear. General Moskalik served as deputy chief of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate, making his killing one of the most significant attacks on Russian military leadership since the conflict with Ukraine began.

Ukrainian officials have not commented on the explosion, which follows a pattern of similar attacks over the past three years targeting Russian military figures and prominent supporters of the war. Moscow has consistently accused Kyiv of conducting such operations, while Ukraine typically neither confirms nor denies involvement in strikes on Russian territory.

The charges come amid heightened tensions between the two nations, with Russia increasingly alleging Ukrainian covert operations inside its borders. The bombing occurred just days after another high-profile attack on a Russian military blogger in St. Petersburg, suggesting an ongoing campaign against Moscow’s military leadership.