Moscow

Three people – including two police officers – have been killed in an explosion in Moscow, Russian authorities have said.

Two traffic police officers saw a “suspicious individual” near a police car on the city’s Yeletskaya Street, and when they approached the suspect to detain him, an explosive device was detonated, Russia’s Investigative Committee has said.

Reports in Russia say the third person killed was the suspect, but this has not been officially confirmed.

The blast took place close to the location where a senior Russian general was killed in a car bombing in the capital on Monday. Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov died after an explosive device – which had been planted under a car – was detonated.

Investigate Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said in a statement on Telegram that a criminal case was being investigated in Moscow “regarding an attempt on the lives of traffic police officers”.

The officers have been named by Russian media as Ilya Klimanov, 24, and Maxim Gorbunov, 25.

Sources in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, HUR, told the BBC that a local resident, eliminated two representatives of the Russian law enforcement agency, “as a sign of disagreement with the Kremlin’s aggressive policy” and said that a man “threw an explosive package through the car window, causing an explosion”.

According to the HUR sources, two other people were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Ukrainian military sources also told the BBC on Wednesday that the two officers killed had “participated in hostilities against Ukraine,” and added there was “evidence of their involvement in the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war”.

There are no details and Moscow has not commented.

Speaking to Reuters news agency, Alexander, a resident who lives close by, said: “There was an explosion.

“It was loud bang – like with the car a few days ago.”

Russia said it suspected Ukraine was behind Monday’s explosion, without providing any evidence.

However Ukraine has not said whether it was involved in Fanil Sarvarov’s death.

It is also not known whether the two explosions are linked.

Sarvarov, 56, was the head of the armed forces’ operational training department.

He was the third military official to have been killed in bomb attacks in the Russian capital over the last year.

A Russian general was killed in Moscow on Monday when an explosive device detonated underneath his car. Authorities say they are investigating whether Ukrainian special services were involved.

The seventh Moscow Interior and Design Week has emerged as a major draw for entrepreneurs from the Middle East, underscoring shifting international interest in Russia’s design and creative industries.

Organizers and exhibitors said that while previous editions of the event were dominated by visitors from China and European countries, this year saw a notable increase in business delegations from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Attendees from the region praised the exhibition’s organization and the creative approach to showcasing design concepts.

“We had long heard that Moscow is becoming a global center for interior design, but the fact that this event is now in its seventh year convinced us to come as part of a large business mission,” said Mona Negm, chief executive officer of Masahat Interior & Architectural Design. Demand from clients for distinctive, one-of-a-kind interiors is growing, she said, adding that Moscow-based manufacturers demonstrated an ability to compete with leading international studios. Negm described the exhibition as “the most beautiful in the world.”

In addition to business visitors, the event also attracted a growing number of tourists from the Middle East, according to participants. Visitors frequently noted the distinctive aesthetic approach of Moscow designers, particularly in decorative elements.

Exhibitors said guests from the UAE showed strong interest in living room furniture, ceramics and floor lamps—items they view as versatile for both residential and office interiors. As a result, unique design pieces are finding buyers not only among professional procurement specialists but also individual tourists.

“In previous years, foreign visitors to our stand were mostly tourists from China and Western Europe,” said Semen Ivanov, founder of Burg&Glass. “This time, we were surprised by the strong interest from visitors from the Middle East. Many said they came to see Moscow ahead of the New Year holidays and decided to visit the city’s main furniture and décor exhibition as a priority.” Several visitors, he added, described the event as the most beautiful design week they had attended.

The seventh Moscow Interior and Design Week is being held from Dec. 11 to Dec. 14 in the Russian capital. Alongside the main exhibition, the event features an extensive business program with expert-led sessions. Speakers include Reem Bin Karam, chief executive officer of the UAE’s Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, who is scheduled to speak on Dec. 13 about how professional designers combine styles, forms, textures and patterns to create cohesive interiors.