"Jaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the operational directorate within the military's general staff, was killed as a result of an explosion," the investigators announce.
The explosion occurred on Friday morning near the general's residence. Images from the scene published on social media show a car destroyed in a fire near an apartment building.
"The explosion was caused by the detonation of a homemade explosive device" filled with metal fragments to cause maximum damage, according to the investigators.
Russia accuses Ukraine of being behind the explosion.
"There is reason to believe that Ukraine's security service was involved in the murder," says Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zacharova in a statement.
Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but it bears the hallmarks of previous Ukrainian attacks on key figures within the Russian military.
