LIEUTENANT Gen. Igor Kirillov, a senior Russian military figure, was killed Tuesday when a bomb concealed in a scooter detonated outside his Moscow apartment.
Ukrainian officials have claimed responsibility for the attack, which also killed Kirillov’s assistant.
Kirillov, 54, led Russia’s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection forces since 2017 and was under international sanctions for his alleged involvement in chemical weapon use during Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A day before the bombing, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) launched a criminal investigation accusing Kirillov of orchestrating banned chemical attacks.
An anonymous SBU official called Kirillov a “legitimate target” and claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing video footage purportedly showing the moment of the explosion.
Russian authorities have labeled the incident an act of terrorism and vowed retaliation.
Moscow’s investigative agency has begun an inquiry into the bombing, while Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, described the attack as a Ukrainian attempt to deflect from military setbacks. He promised retribution against Kyiv’s leadership.
Kirillov was known for accusing Ukraine of using chemical agents, claims dismissed by Ukraine and its allies as disinformation.
The U.S. State Department and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson denied any involvement, with Kristersson expressing understanding of Ukraine’s efforts to retaliate.
The bombing marks another in a series of high-profile attacks on Russian figures since the war began in February 2022, intensifying tensions between the two nations.