Tensions Rise Between Russian Military and FSB Over Protection of Generals
At least 15 Russian generals have been killed since the invasion of Ukraine, prompting friction between the armed forces and the FSB over who should provide their security.
A bomb placed under a BMW in the Moscow suburb of Balashikha killed Lt. Gen. Damir Davydov, a Defense Ministry official in charge of missile and artillery supplies, on June 9, according to the independent outlet The Insider. The attack occurred near the site where Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik was killed in April 2025. Earlier incidents, including the April 2025 car bombing of Moskalik and the scooter bomb that killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, have been linked to a broader pattern of assassinations targeting senior Russian military figures.
European intelligence sources say the steady loss of senior officers – at least 15 confirmed generals, including five lieutenant generals and seven major generals – is straining relations between the Russian armed forces and the Federal Security Service (FSB). One source told Fox News Digital that the military seeks FSB protection for its commanders, but the security service is reluctant to assume that role, reflecting a historic rivalry that dates back to Soviet times.
"There are internal frictions between Russian security institutions," the source said. "The Russian military wants the FSB to guarantee physical protection for Russian generals, but the FSB is opposed to taking responsibility for the military."
Opposition figure Maxim Katz echoed the assessment, noting that the Kremlin traditionally views senior officers as potential political threats. He said the FSB, as the dominant security organ, has long been wary of the army’s influence, and that generals may see the security service as a greater danger than the Ukrainian battlefield.
The casualties include battlefield deaths, such as Lt. Gen. Oleg Tsokov in a Storm Shadow missile strike in Berdiansk, and incidents inside Russian-controlled territory, like the plane crash that killed Lt. Gen. Alexander Otroshchenko over Crimea. The cumulative effect, analysts say, is both operational loss and a morale impact on the Russian military.
The source added that the Kremlin appears to be shifting protective duties away from the FSB to the presidential administration’s security service, in an effort to reduce internal tension.
Fox News Digital sought comment from Russian and Ukrainian officials but did not receive a response before publication.
