Ukraine’s security services have reportedly killed Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov in a special operation in Moscow, according to wire agencies Reuters and AFP, citing unnamed sources. The attack took place on Tuesday on Ryazansky Prospek, about 7 kilometers southeast of the Kremlin.
Kirillov, who served as the chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was widely regarded by Ukraine as a war criminal. Kyiv accused him of ordering the use of prohibited chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces, making him an “absolutely legitimate target.” The blast, which occurred when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter detonated, also killed Kirillov’s assistant.
The incident has sparked an immediate response from Russian officials. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, condemned the strike, warning that Ukraine would face imminent retaliation. Medvedev described the attack as part of Ukraine’s “cowardly and despicable” strikes against Russian cities in the face of military defeat.
Photographs shared on Russian Telegram channels depicted the aftermath of the blast, showing a shattered building entrance, rubble, and two bodies lying in the snow, blood staining the ground. A criminal investigation has been launched in Russia following the attack.
The killing of Kirillov marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict, highlighting the intensity of the military and covert operations unfolding between Russia and Ukraine.
