Wave of Assassinations Reveals Deep Rift Among Russia's Military and Security Chiefs
A series of targeted assassinations against senior Russian generals has exposed severe internal tensions between Russia's military leadership and the Federal Security Service (FSB), the powerful domestic security agency and KGB successor. Over the past year, at least 15 high-ranking officers, including five deputy colonels and seven major generals, have been killed through car bombs, explosive devices, and drone strikes, some even near Moscow's suburbs. Notable victims include Deputy Colonel Damir Davidov, responsible for artillery supplies to Ukraine, killed in June 2025 by a bomb under his car, and Deputy Colonel Yaroslav Moskalyk, who died in a car bomb explosion in April 2025 just 350 meters from Davidov's assassination site.
The assassinations have intensified a historic rivalry dating back to Soviet times, with the military demanding physical protection for its commanders, which the FSB refuses to provide. European intelligence sources reveal that the FSB distrusts the military, viewing it as a political threat, while the military resents the FSB's dominance. Russian opposition figure Maxim Katz explained that Putin, who rose through the FSB ranks, has always feared the military as a potential challenger to his power, keeping generals politically weak and excluded from senior government roles.
This internal conflict undermines the morale of the Russian armed forces, already described by intelligence agencies as suffering from low morale amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Kremlin sources indicate a tentative compromise where the Presidential Administration's security service may assume responsibility for protecting threatened generals, shifting the burden away from the FSB.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is preparing for parliamentary elections in September amid declining public support for Putin. Experts warn that a significant drop in genuine popular backing could threaten the regime's legitimacy, which has historically relied on the perception of majority support. The ongoing assassinations and internal power struggles highlight the precarious state of Russia's political and military leadership during the Ukraine conflict.
