Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was assassinated in Moscow on Tuesday morning in a high-profile attack claimed by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service.
Deadly Blast in Moscow
Kirillov and his assistant were killed when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter detonated as they exited an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt. Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the incident, and unverified footage circulating on social media shows a large explosion as two men remained on the pavement.
An SBU source told Reuters:
“The liquidation of the chief of the radiation and chemical protection troops of the Russian Federation is the work of the SBU.”
Photographs and videos from the scene show a shattered entrance, debris-strewn snow, and bodies covered in plastic sheets, illustrating the attack’s force.
Fallout and Russian Response
Kirillov’s assassination marks the most senior Russian military figure targeted inside Russia since the war began. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now a top security official, vowed imminent revenge on Ukraine’s leadership.
Russia has accused Ukraine of conducting a series of targeted assassinations on Russian soil, including:
- Darya Dugina (2022): Daughter of nationalist Alexander Dugin, killed by a car bomb.
- Vladlen Tatarsky (2023): Pro-war blogger killed in a café bombing.
- Russian submarine commander: Shot in a 2023 attack.
Kirillov’s Role and Accusations
Kirillov, 54, led Russia’s RKhBZ troops—special forces tasked with operations under chemical, biological, or radioactive conditions. While Russia denies using chemical weapons, Ukraine recently charged Kirillov in absentia for allegedly deploying chloropicrin, a banned toxic choking agent, to disorient its troops.
Kirillov’s death follows sanctions imposed on him by Britain in October for his involvement in such operations. On Tuesday, his profile in Ukraine’s Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) database was updated with “Liquidated” written in red letters.
Tributes and Tensions
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova honored Kirillov’s work, stating he “fearlessly” defended the Motherland and exposed what Moscow calls Western chemical weapon crimes.
As Russia vows retaliation, Kirillov’s assassination highlights escalating clandestine warfare between Moscow and Kyiv, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict.
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