Top Russian General Killed in Moscow Bombing; Ukraine Claims Obligation
A top Russian general, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, commander of the Russian Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Corps (RKhBZ), was killed in a bombing in Moscow on December 17, 2024. A source within the Ukrainian security Service (SBU) confirmed to Agence france-Presse that the SBU carried out a “special operation” resulting in Kirillov’s death.
The explosion, reportedly caused by an explosive device attached to a motorcycle, occurred outside an apartment building in southeastern Moscow. Kirillov’s assistant was also killed in the blast. This marks the highest-ranking Russian general killed within Russia since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Security Service source stated, “the Ukrainian Security Service launched a special operation to kill Lieutenant General Kirillov, the commander of the Russian Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Corps (RKhBZ).” the source further justified the action, claiming, “kirilov was a war criminal who ordered the use of banned chemical weapons against the Ukrainian army. His killing was absolutely justified.”
This bold assassination comes a day after Ukrainian authorities filed charges against Kirillov *in absentia* for alleged war crimes. The UK had previously sanctioned Kirillov in October 2024 due to suspicions of chemical weapons use in Ukraine. The SBU source added a chilling statement: “No one who kills ukrainians can escape the end of their lives in such a dishonorable way. It is indeed a war crime and there will be no retribution.”
The incident occurred as Kirillov entered his apartment building on Ryazansky Avenue. The swift and decisive nature of the attack underscores the escalating tensions and the increasingly high stakes of the ongoing conflict.The implications of this assassination for the war in Ukraine and the broader geopolitical landscape remain to be seen, prompting concerns about potential retaliation and further escalation.
