Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, a senior Russian military official accused of deploying chemical weapons in Ukraine, was killed in a bomb explosion in Moscow on December 17.
Kirillov, 54, had been the head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops since 2017. He was the most senior Russian military official known to be killed since the war began in February 2022.
The attack, claimed by Ukraine’s security service (SBU), occurred outside an apartment building approximately 7 kilometers (4 miles) southeast of the Kremlin, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.
“Kirillov was a war criminal and an absolutely legitimate target, as he gave orders to use banned chemical substances against the Ukrainian military,” an SBU source told CNN. “Such an inglorious end awaits all those who kill Ukrainians. Retribution for war crimes is inevitable.”
The attack followed Kirillov’s in absentia sentencing by Ukrainian prosecutors for Russia’s alleged use of chemical weapons during its invasion of Ukraine.
Details of the attack
A remotely detonated bomb, planted in an electric scooter, exploded as Kirillov exited the building alongside his assistant, Ilya Polikarpov, who was also killed.
Russian state news agency TASS reported that the bomb contained the equivalent of 300 grams of TNT. Blast marks were visible at the building’s entrance, cordoned off by investigators.
A video obtained by CNN showed the moments leading up to the attack. The footage captured Kirillov and Polikarpov stepping out of the building toward a car when the bomb detonated, resulting in a bright flash.
Russia detains suspect over killing of top general
On December 18, Russian authorities said that they had arrested a suspect over the killing of a top general and his aide in a bomb blast in Moscow. The Investigative Committee said in a statement that a national of Uzbekistan had been arrested on suspicion of having committed the attack that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov.
Russian officials said that the 29-year-old suspect said he had been “recruited by Ukrainian special forces”. While Ukraine is yet to officially comment on the incident, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed to international media that the agency was behind the attack.
International response and investigation
Russia’s Investigative Committee classified the incident as a “terrorist act” and launched a probe. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department distanced itself from the attack. Spokesman Matthew Miller stated, “The United States was not aware of it in advance and was not involved.”
The high-profile assassination underscored escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with retribution and war crimes accusations further intensifying the conflict.