Ukrainian officials have announced the assassination of General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s army chemical weapons division, describing it as a “special operation” executed by the SBU security service.
The high-profile killing occurred early Tuesday morning in Moscow when an improvised explosive device hidden in a parked scooter detonated near a residential building on Ryazansky Prospekt, approximately 7 kilometers from the Kremlin.
The explosion killed Kirillov and his assistant, damaging nearby structures. Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the blast, equivalent to about 200 grams of TNT, and has launched a criminal investigation.
In response, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, warned of imminent retribution for the assassination of Igor Kirillov, labeling Ukraine’s actions as cowardly. Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament, called the loss “irreparable” and vowed that those responsible would face justice.
Ukrainian sources claim Kirillov was involved in the alleged deployment of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, a charge that has intensified tensions. His death follows recent charges from Ukrainian prosecutors regarding the use of such weapons in the ongoing conflict.
The Kremlin has dismissed allegations of using chemical weapons as baseless. Kirillov had previously been sanctioned by several countries, including the UK and Canada. The assassination marks a significant escalation in the already volatile conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
