By Brendan Cole Newsweek World
The head of a plant which developed Russian electronic warfare capabilities has been killed in a car bomb explosion, according to Ukrainian and Russian media in the latest reported death of a figure central to Moscow's war machine.
Citing Ukrainian defense forces, RBC-Ukraine said Yevgeny Ritikov had been killed in a car explosion in the city of Bryansk, near the Ukraine border, where he headed an electromechanical plant.
The Russian Telegram channel Mash also reported that Ritikov had been killed by an IED (improvised explosive device), as did open source intelligence (OSINT) outlets although neither Russia nor Ukraine have made any official statements.
When contacted by Newsweek, the Ukrainian defense ministry said in a statement, "we do not comment on what is happening in Russia."
Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
The reported death of Ritikov is the latest incident in which figures involved with Russia's military effort have been killed, in many cases with their vehicles exploding. Ukraine does not typically claim direct responsibility for such strikes, but the incidents fuel speculation about Kyiv's ability to target not just military facilities but key people inside Russia involved in its full-scale invasion.
What To Know
Media outlets reported that Ritikov, born on April 30 1990, was the head of the design bureau of the Bryansk Electromechanical Plant—a key developer of the latest EW (electronic warfare) and electronic reconnaissance (ERR) systems for the Russian army.
He helped produce the "Krasukha" EW systems which counter airborne radars of strike, reconnaissance and unmanned aircraft.
They also provide protection for air defense assets, command posts, launch complexes of strategic missile systems, airfields, and industrial and administrative facilities.
The Odessa Journal reported that Ritikov had won a military engineering competition for his work in 2016.
RBK reported that overnight on April 17, Ritikov's car exploded in the Bezhitsky district of the city after he and a colleague got inside the vehicle and an IED packed with shrapnel detonated, killing both instantly.
Information about his death was reported by pro-Kremlin Telegram channels Shot and Mash, as well as the VChK-OGPU public group. Local groups on Russian social media wrote about the explosion but it has not been officially confirmed by authorities.
Russian Military Figures Targeted
Russian military figures have been targeted repeatedly. On Friday, Russian media reported that Yaroslav Moskalik, a high-ranking general, died when his car exploded in Balashikha near Moscow.
Russian security forces officially confirmed the death of Moskalik in the Moscow region and authorities have opened a murder investigation, detaining a man they have described as Ukrainian special services agent.
In December, Lt. General Igor Kirillov, 54, who headed Russia's nuclear and chemical defense forces, was killed in an explosion in Moscow. He and his assistant died after the detonation of an explosive device hidden in a scooter parked near his apartment, according to the Associated Press.
The previous month, Valery Trankovsky, a Russian Navy captain, was killed in a car explosion in the city of Sevastopol in what the Kyiv Independent reported had been an operation carried out by Ukraine's Security Service.
The outlet's Ukrainian intelligence source said Trankovsky had ordered cruise missile launches from the Black Sea against civilian sites in Ukraine.
In October, Ukrainian military intelligence officials said Russian major Dmitry Pervukha, whom they accused of war crimes, was killed in a car bomb explosion in the Ukrainian region of Luhansk which is under partial occupation.
Meanwhile in July, Andrei Torgashov—an officer with Russia's Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (GRU) was targeted in a car-bomb attack in Moscow, in which he lost his legs, according to Russian media outlets.
The Astra Telegram channel said that he was the deputy head of a satellite communications center belonging to Russia's military unit 33790.
What People Are Saying
Pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Shot: "The head of the Bryansk Electromechanical Plant and developer of the Krasukha electronic warfare system, Yevgeny Ritikov, and his colleague, died after an IED detonated in his car."
Ukrainian defense ministry to Newsweek: "We do not comment on what is happening in Russia."
What Happens Next
Russian authorities have not confirmed Ritikov's death but while an investigation is ongoing into Moskalik's car bombing, Ukraine is likely to continue to target Russian military figures and facilities.
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This story was originally published April 28, 2025 at 8:25 AM.
