Moscow Blast Kills Russia's Nuclear Protection Forces Chief Igor Kirillov
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Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's NBC Defense Troops, killed in Moscow explosion.
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Bomb was concealed in an electric scooter outside a residential building.
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Ukrainian security service claims responsibility for the assassination.
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Kirillov was accused of overseeing chemical weapon use in Ukraine.
In a shocking incident in Moscow, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the chief of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was assassinated when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter exploded as he was exiting a residential building on Ryazansky Prospekt, southeast of the Kremlin. The attack, which occurred early on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, also claimed the life of Kirillov's assistant.
According to Russian authorities, the explosive device was remotely triggered, with an estimated explosive capacity equivalent to approximately 300 grams of TNT. Photographs from the scene depicted a devastating impact, showing the entrance of the building shattered with debris and blood-stained snow, indicating the severity of the blast.
The assassination has been swiftly claimed by sources within Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), who described Kirillov as a "legitimate target" due to his alleged involvement in war crimes. Just a day before his death, Ukrainian prosecutors had charged Kirillov in absentia for the "mass use" of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces, documenting over 4,800 instances of chemical weapon usage since the onset of Russia's invasion in February 2022.
Kirillov was a controversial figure, often accused by Western nations and Ukraine of orchestrating the deployment of chemical agents on the battlefield. He was sanctioned by the UK for what they described as "helping deploy barbaric weapons." His role extended beyond mere administration, as he was also known for his public briefings where he spread what was labeled by critics as Kremlin disinformation, including baseless allegations that Ukraine was developing a "dirty bomb."
The assassination of such a high-profile military figure has sent shockwaves through Russia's military and political circles, prompting immediate reactions from top officials like Dmitry Medvedev, who warned of imminent retaliation against Ukraine's leadership. This incident underscores the escalating covert operations and the deepening enmity in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, where targeted killings have become a notable aspect of warfare.
The Moscow blast has not only highlighted the dangerous intersection of military strategy and covert operations but also raised questions about the security of high-ranking officials in an increasingly volatile geopolitical climate