On Tuesday morning, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, a senior Russian military officer and head of the country’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed in Moscow.
The assassination, described as one of the most prominent of its kind, occurred when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter exploded outside an apartment building, taking Kirillov’s life and that of his assistant.
The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed the attack, revealing that both men were killed as they exited the building on Ryazansky Prospekt.
Reuters reports said that the assassination had been orchestrated by the Ukrainian intelligence agency. The explosion occurred as the two men approached a car, and unverified footage circulating on social media appeared to show the aftermath of the blast.
This incident marks the highest-profile assassination of a Russian military officer by Ukraine during the ongoing conflict, with the 54-year-old Kirillov’s death likely prompting a review of security protocols for senior Russian officials. The SBU’s involvement in the attack, however, remains a sensitive subject, with no immediate comment from President Vladimir Putin or his administration.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev condemned the assassination, labeling it an act of terrorism. Medvedev vowed that Moscow would retaliate, and he accused the Ukrainian leadership of orchestrating the attack, calling for the punishment of those responsible in Kyiv.
While Ukraine has not publicly confirmed its involvement in the specific incident, it has previously stated that such targeted killings are part of its legitimate response to Russia’s invasion. Ukraine has framed these actions as a necessary measure to weaken Russia’s morale and hold accountable individuals it believes are responsible for war crimes.
At the time of his death, Kirillov was facing charges from Ukraine, which accused him of using chemical weapons on the battlefield. The United Kingdom had also imposed sanctions on him earlier this year due to his role in the alleged use of riot control agents and toxic chemicals in warfare.
Kirillov had been a prominent figure in Russian media, often seen defending Moscow’s actions, including its controversial use of chemical agents in Syria. His death occurred shortly after Ukrainian prosecutors formally charged him in absentia over allegations of chemical weapons use, as reported by the Kyiv Independent.
In a chilling coincidence, a photograph of Kirillov appeared on the Ukrainian Myrotvorets database, a list of individuals considered enemies of Ukraine, with the word “Liquidated” stamped across it after his death.
The assassination follows a series of targeted killings by Ukrainian operatives on Russian soil since the conflict escalated in February 2022. High-profile cases have included the deaths of Russian nationalist Darya Dugina and war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, as well as the shooting of a Russian submarine commander accused of war crimes.
Kirillov’s role overseeing Russia’s chemical, biological, and nuclear defense forces made him a prominent figure in Moscow’s military operations. His forces specialize in operating under hazardous conditions, protecting Russian troops from chemical, biological, and radiological threats.
