A private funeral ceremony has been held for a senior commander in the Russian military, as per reports. The tragic incident occurred at an upscale Moscow restaurant over the weekend, where five individuals lost their lives in a bomb explosion, including 53-year-old Lt-Gen Igor Yerusalimov.
The blast took place during a birthday celebration for Col-Gen Alexander Chayko, the head of the Russian Aerospace Forces, attended by high-ranking military figures, politicians, and officials. Yerusalimov was positioned near the entrance when a female courier carrying a suspicious “gift” for Chayko was intercepted by a security officer. Tragically, the woman, suspected to be a unwitting “suicide bomber,” and the security operative lost their lives in the explosion, while nine others sustained injuries.
Despite the chaos, Chayko emerged unscathed. He had previously faced accusations from Ukraine of being a “war criminal” due to his alleged involvement in the 2022 attacks. The explosion also resulted in the serious injury of Chayko’s daughter Maria and the death of his son-in-law Daniil Peredriy.
The fallen commander, Yerusalimov, a highly respected figure who had been promoted twice by President Putin, was laid to rest at the Troekurovskoye cemetery. His demise adds to the growing list of Russian generals who have perished since the start of the conflict with Ukraine.
