On Tuesday morning, Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service assassinated a top Russian general in Moscow, marking a significant escalation in the conflict.
Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, died alongside his assistant when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter detonated outside an apartment building, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.
An SBU source confirmed to reporters that the Ukrainian intelligence agency orchestrated the attack.
“The liquidation of the chief of the radiation and chemical protection troops of the Russian Federation is the work of the SBU,” the source stated.
As Kirillov and his aide exited a building on Ryazansky Prospekt, the explosive device detonated, resulting in their deaths.
Unverified video footage circulating on social media depicted two men leaving the building to enter a car, followed by a large explosion.
However, reports could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage.
At 54 years old, Kirillov became the highest-ranking Russian military officer assassinated by Ukraine on Russian soil, prompting a likely review of security protocols for top military officials.
Former president Dmitry Medvedev, now a senior Russian security official, vowed retaliation during a state TV meeting, labeling the assassination an act of terrorism.
“Law enforcement agencies must find the killers in Russia,” Medvedev asserted.
He added, “Everything must be done to destroy the masterminds of the killing who are in Kyiv,” identifying them as Ukraine’s military and political leadership.
President Vladimir Putin did not immediately comment on Kirillov’s assassination.
Moscow blames Ukraine for high-profile assassinations intended to weaken morale and punish those accused of war crimes.
In response, Ukraine views such targeted killings as a legitimate tactic against an existential threat posed by Russia’s ongoing war.
The Ukrainian government has yet to issue a statement regarding Kirillov’s death.
Images from southeastern Moscow show significant damage, including scorch marks at the entrance and multiple blown-out windows.
Two body bags were visible on the street, as Russian investigators cordoned off the area to gather evidence.
In October, the UK sanctioned Kirillov for allegedly overseeing chemical weapon use in Ukraine and spreading Kremlin disinformation.
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Under Kirillov’s leadership, Ukraine’s SBU claims that Russia employed chemical weapons over 4,800 times.
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Conversely, Russia denies these allegations, and Kirillov occasionally appeared on state TV to accuse Ukraine of violating nuclear safety protocols.
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Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, praised Kirillov for his “fearless” work in exposing what she described as Western crimes related to chemical weapons.
Regional governor Sergei Sitnikov, who considered Kirillov a friend, revealed that Kirillov had expressed concerns about threats against his life.
“He told me that he had already been warned that the hunt for him had begun,” Sitnikov stated.
Kirillov’s assassination occurred just a day after Ukrainian prosecutors charged him in absentia for allegedly using banned chemical weapons.
Additionally, he appeared on an unofficial Ukrainian database called Myrotvorets, which lists individuals considered enemies of Ukraine.
On Tuesday morning, a photograph of Kirillov on the site was marked with the word “Liquidated” in red letters.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Moscow, consequently, has accused Ukraine of carrying out targeted assassinations.
Notable cases include the killing of nationalist ideologue Alexander Dugin’s daughter, Darya Dugina, and blogger Vladlen Tatarsky’s murder.
Kirillov commanded Russia’s radioactive, chemical, and biological defense troops, special forces tasked with operating under extreme conditions.
Liza, a resident near the blast site, described the killing as “shocking.
“ She remarked, “It’s one thing reading about it in the news; it feels far, but when it happens next door, that’s completely different and frightening.”
Several locals initially mistook the loud explosion for construction noise.
Student Mikhail Mashkov recalled waking up to a “very loud explosion noise,” thinking it was a construction accident.
Neighbor Olga Bogomolova initially believed a container had fallen but quickly realized it was a significant explosion, noting broken windows.
Residents expressed deep shock over the incident.
Despite nearly three years of conflict, many Muscovites perceive the war as distant, experienced only through media.
The assassination of a Russian general in Moscow vividly demonstrates that the war is alarmingly real and near.
