Moscow: A senior Russian general accused by Ukraine of orchestrating the use of chemical weapons against its forces was assassinated in Moscow on Tuesday morning in what is being described as the most significant killing of its kind. Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency claimed responsibility for the attack.
Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed alongside his assistant when a bomb concealed in an electric scooter detonated outside an apartment building, Russia’s Investigative Committee said. The explosion occurred on Ryazansky Prospekt in Moscow.
A source within Ukraine’s SBU confirmed the agency’s involvement. “The liquidation of the chief of the radiation and chemical protection troops of the Russian Federation is the work of the SBU,” the source told Reuters. The source added that the explosive-laden scooter detonated as Kirillov and his aide exited the building.
Unverified video footage circulating on social media shows two men leaving a building and approaching a car before a powerful explosion occurs. As reported by the international news agency Reuters, they could not independently verify the footage.
Kirillov, 54, is the highest-ranking Russian military officer to be assassinated inside Russia by Ukraine. His death is expected to trigger a reassessment of security measures for Russia’s top military leadership and fuel demands for retaliation. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now a senior security official, warned that Ukraine’s leadership would face “imminent revenge” for the killing, according to state news agency RIA.
Targeted Killings as a Strategic Tool
Russia has accused Ukraine of orchestrating a series of high-profile assassinations aimed at undermining Russian morale and punishing individuals Kyiv considers responsible for war crimes. Ukraine, facing an existential threat from Russia’s invasion, has defended targeted killings as a legitimate wartime strategy.
Photographs and video from the scene showed the building’s shattered entrance, blackened bricks, and doors blown off their hinges. Two bodies, believed to be Kirillov and his assistant, were covered in black plastic sheets lying on the snow. Russian investigators announced a criminal case into the murder of two servicemen, with law enforcement sources suggesting a terrorism charge might also be filed.
Kirillov’s Role and Legacy
Kirillov, a married father of two, led Russia’s Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defence Troops (RKhBZ). The forces specialize in operating under radioactive and chemically contaminated conditions to protect Russian ground troops.
Kirillov frequently appeared on state television, accusing Ukraine of nuclear safety violations and the West of alleged chemical weapon-related crimes. Russia has denied using chemical weapons, despite repeated Ukrainian accusations.
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, praised Kirillov for his “fearless” service to “the Motherland”, claiming he had exposed Western “crimes” in Syria and elsewhere.
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Western Sanctions and Accusations
In October, Britain imposed sanctions on Kirillov and his nuclear defence forces, citing reports of toxic choking agents, such as chloropicrin, being used on the battlefield. Ukraine has alleged that these agents were deployed to incapacitate its soldiers during combat, leaving them vulnerable to Russian attacks.
Kirillov’s death came just a day after Ukrainian state prosecutors charged him in absentia for the alleged use of banned chemical weapons. His name was also listed on Ukraine’s unofficial Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) database of enemies of the state. On Tuesday, the site displayed Kirillov’s photograph with the word “Liquidated” in red letters.
String of Assassinations
Kirillov’s killing is the latest in a series of high-profile assassinations blamed on Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Notable cases include the 2022 car bombing that killed Darya Dugina, daughter of nationalist ideologue Alexander Dugin, and the 2023 cafe bombing that killed pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky. Last year, a Russian submarine commander accused of war crimes was also assassinated.
As Russia grapples with Kirillov’s killing, it is likely to tighten security for its military leadership while escalating rhetoric and actions against Ukraine.
