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 stated.
Reports in Russia suggest the third person killed was the suspect, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.
The blast took place close to where a senior Russian general was killed in a car bombing earlier in the week, raising alarms over security in the capital.
Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko indicated in a statement on Telegram that a criminal case regarding an attempt on the lives of the traffic police officers is being pursued.
The officers, identified by Russian media as Ilya Klimanov, 24, and Maxim Gorbunov, 25, were reportedly involved in prior hostilities that led to serious allegations against them.
Two additional individuals were hospitalized due to serious injuries from the blast.
An eyewitness described the sound as a loud bang similar to the recent explosion related to the car bombing of Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov, who was killed earlier this week.
While Russia has suggested that Ukraine may be behind the recent violence, no conclusive evidence has been released to substantiate this claim. The situation remains fluid as investigations continue.
