A retired police officer blew himself up with a hand grenade outside a Pyatyorochka supermarket in northeastern Moscow on Saturday.
No other casualties were reported, and police ruled out a terrorist attack.
Yevgeny Yurov took care that no bystanders were in the vicinity of the blast on Yurlovsky Proyezd, telling the sole witness, Dmitry Chuvin, 20, to either film him with a cell phone camera or get out of sight, tabloid news web site Lifenews.ru reported.
Chuvin opted to drive away from Yurov, who then set off the grenade he pressed to his stomach, the report said.
Moskovsky Komsomolets said the Irkutsk region native, who died on the spot after the blast, was 41, while Lifenews.ru put his age at 42.
A family quarrel could have been the reason for the suicide because Yurov, who was prone to bouts of jealousy, had a lengthy argument with his wife, Nadezhda, 39, hours prior to his suicide, Nadezhda told Lifenews.ru.
Yurov left the house after the argument and spent about three hours outside before taking his life, she said.
But Moskovsky Komsomolets said employment problems might have been behind the decision because Yurov was in fact a former traffic police officer who failed to find a new job after retiring for unspecified reasons in 2009.
Yurov called his son on his cell phone shortly before the blast, telling him: "Now you are the man of the family. I promise there will be no victims," Lifenews.ru reported.
Yurov also legally owned a hunting gun, which Interfax said he had in his car at the time of his death. It remained unclear from where Yurov obtained the grenade. Police were conducting a check into the incident but have not opened an official criminal case.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
