A car bomb explosion near Yekaterinburg critically injures Vladimir Tkachuk, founder of the private drone manufacturer Uraldronzavod, Russian media and emergency services report. The blast occurs after an explosive device is placed beneath Tkachuk’s Mercedes-Benz vehicle. Investigators treat the incident as an attempted assassination. The explosion kills the driver, who also serves as Tkachuk’s bodyguard, according to the reports. Tkachuk survives but is taken to intensive care with severe injuries; doctors describe his condition as critical. The vehicle is destroyed in the blast and catches fire, with responders attending the scene. Both sources describe the incident as part of a broader pattern of attacks against individuals connected to Russia’s war-related activities, while also noting that the investigation is ongoing. No group or individual is identified in the provided reports as being responsible for the attack.