An explosion occurred near a military unit on 8 September in Khabarovsk, Russia, according to Ukrainian media, citing verified sources in the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
The military facility, located a whopping 6,000 km from Ukraine, houses the 748th Separate Operational Battalion of Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardia), which committed war crimes in Ukraine’s Kyiv Oblast during the early stages of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion.
The blasts, reportedly caused by two improvised explosive devices, went off around 9 am in the base’s parking lot as soldiers and officers were arriving for duty. DIU sources confirmed fatalities and injuries among Rosgvardia personnel.
Following the incident, Russian security services reportedly restricted mobile internet and rerouted public transportation to limit information about the explosion.
The 748th Battalion is known for committing atrocities against Ukrainian civilians during the first weeks of Russia's full-blown invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Then, Russia attempted, unuccessfully, to seize the Ukrainian capital, committing mass killings, torture, and looting in Kyiv's suburbs, including Bucha, Irpin, and Dymer.
The Khabarovsk explosion follows a series of Ukrainian defense intelligence operations inside Russian territory.
In August 2025, DIU carried out a sabotage in Krasnodar Krai targeting the 90th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, resulting in at least 12 Russian military deaths, dozens of injuries, and the destruction of equipment.
Local residents confirmed mobile internet outages and unusual transport disruptions after the blasts. Russian authorities described these as security measures, but details on casualties and the cause of the explosion remain limited.
Striking units with a history of war crimes carries both tactical and psychological significance, exposing vulnerabilities in Russian military infrastructure and sending a clear message that impunity will not be tolerated.
