Moscow, Russia – In a startling development, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the chief of Russia’s Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence, was killed in a bomb explosion in Moscow. The attack occurred outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt, according to Russia’s investigative committee.
The explosion, which was caused by a bomb hidden inside an electric scooter, claimed the lives of both General Kirillov and his assistant. Russian authorities revealed that the explosive device carried the force of roughly 300 grams of TNT. The incident has escalated tensions, with Russia accusing Ukraine of orchestrating a series of targeted assassinations on its soil since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has openly taken responsibility for the attack, calling Kirillov a “legitimate target.” This declaration was supported by statements from within the SBU to international news agencies like Al Jazeera, Reuters, and AFP.
The site of the bombing showed severe damage, with photographs circulating on Russian Telegram channels depicting the devastated entrance of the building and two bodies amidst the debris and blood-stained snow. A criminal investigation has been launched in response to the attack.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, framed the assassination as a diversion tactic by Kyiv to shift attention from its military setbacks, warning of “inevitable retribution” against Ukraine’s senior leadership. Meanwhile, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, criticized the West for its silence and apparent approval of what she described as the war crimes committed by the Kyiv regime.
The United States has denied any involvement in the incident. However, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller condemned Kirillov’s alleged role in military atrocities, including the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces. Just a day before the assassination, Ukrainian prosecutors had charged Kirillov in absentia with the use of banned chemical agents in the conflict.
The UK recently imposed sanctions on Kirillov and the nuclear protection forces under his command for their alleged involvement in deploying riot control and toxic agents, such as chloropicrin, on the battlefield. Chloropicrin, a choking agent prohibited under international law, was extensively used as a tear gas during World War I.
In light of these events, security concerns have been raised by the local community regarding the lack of adequate surveillance in the area, which may have facilitated the assassination.
