On the morning of 28 July, a BMW X5 exploded in Odesa; according to media reports, the vehicle belongs to a member of the military. The explosion occurred after the driver had set off. The man survived and sustained minor injuries. According to the police, the incident took place in the Peresypsky district; law enforcement officers are investigating the circumstances.
Briefly about the main points
- A BMW X5 has exploded in Odessa.
- The driver set off, after which an explosion occurred.
- The man survived and sustained minor injuries.
- The police are working at the scene alongside bomb disposal experts.
- The legal classification of the incident has not yet been determined.
The explosion occurred after the vehicle had started moving
According to preliminary reports, the explosion occurred immediately after the driver of the BMW X5 set off. The device was of low power, so the man survived and sustained minor injuries.
The victim is 49 years old, according to the police. Paramedics examined him at the scene. The driver’s wife said that the explosion occurred at around 08:00 in the courtyard of a block of flats on Semen Paliy Street.
Investigators are establishing the circumstances
An investigative team and bomb disposal experts were at the scene. The police are investigating the circumstances of the incident and are due to provide a legal assessment following the initial investigative measures.
At present, the police have not publicly disclosed the type of device, how it was planted or how it was detonated. Nor is there any official information regarding criminal proceedings, a possible motive, those involved or any other victims.
Vehicle ownership details
According to media reports, the BMW X5 belongs to a member of the armed forces. However, there is no reliable public information about his unit, rank or other personal details.
The investigation has not put forward any theories as to whether the explosion was linked to the victim’s activities. Until the official findings are published, there are no grounds for speculating about who commissioned or organised the attack.
Previous cases relating to the explosions in Odessa
In July 2025, an Opel exploded on Varnenska Street in Odesa with a 30-year-old man inside. On the same day, the police and the SBU detained a 22-year-old resident of Zaporizhzhia. In that separate case, the investigators stated that the suspect had acted on the instructions of a Russian handler, had planted explosives under the car and was due to detonate them remotely; proceedings were initiated under the section of the Criminal Code relating to terrorist acts.
Also, on 1 April 2026, the police reported the arrest of a 19-year-old woman from Chernivtsi who is suspected of attempting to remotely detonate an explosive device in Odesa. No explosion occurred on that occasion.
