Uzbek national confesses to Moscow Bombing, Killing Top Russian General
A dramatic turn in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine unfolded this week with the arrest of an Uzbek national who confessed to the bombing that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s radiological, chemical, and biological defense forces. The assassination, which also claimed the life of Kirillov’s aide, Ilya Polikarpov, occurred in Moscow on December 16th.
According to a statement released by the Investigative Committee, the suspect, a 1995-born Uzbek citizen, admitted to planting and detonating the explosive device.The statement alleges the suspect was “recruited by Ukrainian special forces.”
A video confession, published by the Russian news outlet Baza, shows the suspect detailing his actions. While dressed in a winter coat, he describes receiving an improvised explosive device, planting it on an electric scooter near Kirillov’s apartment building, and remotely detonating it. ”he had come to Moscow at the orders of Ukraine’s intelligence services,” the suspect reportedly stated in the video. “I bought an electric scooter, and then received an improvised explosive device to carry out the hit months later.”
The suspect further claimed that Ukrainian intelligence operatives, based in Dnipro, monitored the operation using a surveillance camera he had set up. He also alleged that he was promised $100,000 and residency in a European country for his role in the assassination.
While the Investigative Committee is pursuing other individuals involved,the Kommersant newspaper reported the detention of another suspect. Reuters has not independently verified this claim.
Ukraine’s Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has claimed responsibility for the attack. An SBU source confirmed to Reuters, “The liquidation of the chief of the radiation and chemical protection troops of the Russian federation is the work of the SBU.” This makes Lt. Gen. Kirillov the highest-ranking Russian military officer assassinated inside Russia by Ukraine.
the assassination has sparked outrage in Russia. Dmitry Medvedev, a senior Russian security official, is quoted by the state-run RIA news agency as saying that Ukraine’s military and political leadership now face “imminent revenge” for the murder. This incident underscores the escalating tensions between the two nations and raises concerns about potential further escalations.
The incident highlights the increasingly brazen tactics employed in the ongoing conflict and raises questions about the potential for further retaliatory actions. The implications for the broader geopolitical landscape remain significant.
