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MOSCOW, Russia - A senior Russian general, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, was reportedly killed on Tuesday in Moscow after a bomb hidden in an electric scooter exploded, Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed.
Kirillov, who led Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was targeted outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt, located about seven kilometers southeast of the Kremlin.
The explosion also killed Kirillov’s assistant. Images circulating on Russian Telegram channels showed a shattered building entrance, debris scattered across the ground, and two lifeless bodies lying in blood-stained snow.
Footage from the scene revealed a heavy police presence and cordoned-off areas as investigators combed the explosion environment for evidence.
Kirillov oversaw Russia’s Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops (RKhBZ), a specialised military unit trained to operate under conditions involving radioactive, chemical, or biological hazards.
His sudden death marks a significant blow to this critical branch of Russia’s armed forces.
Kirillov’s death comes just a day after Ukrainian prosecutors charged him in absentia with alleged use of banned chemical weapons during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Security Service accused him of deploying such weapons, however, Russia authorities have debunked the claims.
Additionally, Britain sanctioned Kirillov in October 2023 for his involvement in the reported use of riot control agents and the toxic choking chemical chloropicrin on the battlefield.
Authorities have yet to identify the perpetrators or confirm a motive for the attack. The use of an electric scooter as the delivery method for the bomb has raised questions about its planning and execution. Investigators are working to determine the origins of the device and how the attack bypassed security protocols.
With the loss of a high-ranking general, this event could have broader implications for Russia’s defense strategy and internal security measures.
The Russian government has not yet release an official statement, however, investigation remains ongoing.
