Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, a senior figure in Russia’s nuclear and chemical protection forces, was killed in a bomb explosion in southeastern Moscow, along with his aide. The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed that the explosive device was hidden inside an electric scooter near a residential building.
A source within Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) claimed responsibility for the attack, though Ukrainian authorities have yet to issue an official statement. This incident follows Ukraine’s earlier accusations against Kirillov for alleged “war crimes”, including the use of chemical weapons in the conflict.
General Igor Kirillov had served as the head of Russia’s Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defence Troops since 2017. Ukrainian officials recently accused him of overseeing the deployment of banned chemical munitions, such as chloropicrin, on Ukrainian forces—actions they say violate the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The UK and US have previously sanctioned Kirillov and his unit for their involvement in these operations. In October, the UK government described their actions as “barbaric weapons deployment”.
Following the bombing, Russia’s Foreign Ministry praised Kirillov as a “patriot who worked fearlessly for the Motherland”. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev vowed “imminent revenge” against Ukraine for the attack. Russian investigators, supported by the FSB security service, are conducting an inquiry into the explosion, which caused damage to nearby buildings and shattered windows up to the fourth floor.
Reacting to the killing, a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “We’re not going to mourn the death of an individual who propagated an illegal invasion and imposed suffering on the Ukrainian people.”
Meanwhile, analysts view the assassination as part of a series of targeted operations conducted by Ukrainian intelligence within Russian territory. Security experts have noted Ukraine’s increasing success in such high-profile operations against Russian military leaders.
Amid ongoing escalations, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported severe drinking water and gas shortages in Ukrainian towns near the front line, such as Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. The agency urged *“unimpeded access”* for humanitarian aid to assist civilians facing freezing winter conditions.
The killing of Kirillov adds to mounting tensions as the Russia-Ukraine war persists. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while addressing other issues, urged Western allies to impose sanctions on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of vessels transporting illicit oil, emphasizing the need to cut off funding for Russia’s war efforts.
