Russian colonel overseeing ammunition logistics killed in blast near Moscow, media says
Photo: Damir Davidov (Russian media)
A Russian colonel who may have died as a result of an explosion that occurred on the morning of June 9 near Moscow has been identified, according to VChK-OGPU, Evocation, and Agentstvo.
According to available information, an explosion occurred in the morning, resulting in the death of a person preliminarily identified as the head of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Damir Davidov. It is reported that he lived in Balashikha, near Moscow.
Biographical information
Damir Davidov was born on February 4, 1969. He spent his childhood in the closed city of Penza-19 (now Zarechny), which is linked to the defense industry. His father worked at a weapons manufacturing enterprise.
Damir Davidov dedicated his professional career to the military sphere. According to available data, he was involved in the development of missile engines and artillery ammunition and holds a number of specialized patents.
Career in the defense sector
Until 2009, he headed the Central Experimental Technical Bureau at one of the major arsenals. He later continued his career growth, and by 2017 held a senior position within the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Additional information
Open sources indicate that Davidov served for a long time in structures related to weapons testing and development. Details about the circumstances of the explosion and official confirmation of his status are still being clarified.
Davidov’s surname previously appeared in documents published by Yevgeny Prigozhin during his conflict with the Russian Ministry of Defense. According to those documents, he was among the military officials responsible for the distribution of ammunition in the Russian army.
At the same time, Russian official structures have still not disclosed or confirmed the identity of the person killed in the incident.
Even the Russian leader is reportedly concerned about assassination attempts. In the Valdai district of Russia’s Novgorod region, near one of Vladimir Putin’s residences, defensive structures similar to those used on the front line have been deployed.
