Pakistan, April 25 -- A car bomb blast killed a top Russian general, Yaroslav Moskalik, near Moscow in the town of Balashikha on Friday. Moskalik, 59, served as the deputy head of the Main Operations Directorate of Russia's Armed Forces. His death adds to a string of high-profile military killings since the war in Ukraine began.

Investigators said the explosion came from a homemade bomb filled with deadly materials. The blast happened outside a residential building, where a body and a burnt-out car were found. A second person was also killed, according to Russian media.

Though no one has claimed responsibility, Russian war bloggers quickly blamed Ukraine. They described Moskalik as a sharp, rising figure in the defense ministry. He was ...