Car Bomb Injures Russian Military Intelligence Officer in Moscow

A car bomb exploded in northern Moscow, injuring an officer from Russia's military intelligence agency, GRU, and an unidentified woman. Russia's interior ministry confirmed two injuries from a blast caused by an unidentified device. A criminal case has been opened as local media report significant damage to multiple vehicles.

(Recasts with new headline and sourcing) MOSCOW, July 24 (Reuters) -

A car bomb injured an officer from Russia's military intelligence agency in northern Moscow on Wednesday, the Kommersant newspaper reported. Russia's interior ministry said that two people were injured in a blast caused by the detonation of an unidentified device and said that a criminal case had been opened.

The explosion ripped through a Toyota Land Cruiser shortly after the officer and an unidentified woman got into the vehicle, according to Russian media which showed footage of the explosion. Kommersant, one of Russia's leading newspapers, said that the injured man served in the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, widely referred to as GRU.

Baza, which has sources in Russia's security services, also said the injured man was a GRU officer. State news agency TASS said that an officer and his wife had been injured in the blast. The man's feet were blown off, according to TASS. Five other cars were damaged in the blast, the agency said.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the reports.