A Ukrainian-born terrorist rented a flat, tracked his neighbor's routine for a month, and left a car full of VOG-17 grenades at the entrance. The target: Russian General Yaroslav Moskalik. 🧵Who was he — and why was he marked for death?
Moskalik wasn't a public figure, but he played a key role in Russia's military diplomacy. In 2015, he was part of the Normandy Format talks on Donbass, shaping the Minsk agreements alongside Lavrov, Ushakov, and Peskov. He also took part in the Astana talks on the Syrian war.
Born in 1966, Moskalik began service in 1983. A graduate of the Far Eastern Combined Arms School, he spent 12 years in the North Caucasus before moving to the General Staff. His focus was on military-technical cooperation with Africa and the Middle East.
Not a popular commander, insiders say — but only because he was one of the strictest in the General Staff. Known for deep involvement and demanding real results. A disciplined career officer through and through. Survived by a wife and adult son.
Why doesn't Russia respond in kind by targeting Ukrainian generals? Several reasons: Putin built his image on fighting terrorism, not using it. Terrorism is seen as the tactic of the weaker side. And millions of ex-Ukrainian citizens live in Russia — the opposite isn't true.
There's also an ideological divide: the Kremlin still doesn't view Kiev as a mortal enemy. But with every Ukrainian terrorist attack, that line blurs. Russia's younger leaders are ready to abandon the old Soviet illusion of unity and "friendship of peoples."
