Igor Kirillov, the senior general in charge of Russia’s nuclear defense forces, was killed in an explosion in Moscow on Tuesday.
An official from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) claimed responsibility for the bombing in an interview with Al Jazeera.
Here’s what you need to know:
What do we know so far?
Kirillov was killed by a bomb hidden in an electric scooter outside an apartment on Ryazansky Boulevard early Tuesday morning, the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement. The attack site was 7 kilometers (4 miles) southeast of the Kremlin.
Russia’s TASS news agency cited law enforcement officials as saying the explosive “had a capacity of approximately 300 grams of TNT.”
Russian media reported that the bomb was operated by remote control.
Photos from the scene show a scooter with its handlebar blown off and damage to an entrance along the building’s exterior.
Kirillov’s assistant was also killed.
“Two body bags were seen on the street” near the explosion site, Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova said. “Judging by broken windows, the blast reportedly reached at least the fourth floor, damaging about 10 apartments.”
Who was Kirillov?
Kirillov, who was 54 years old at the time of his death, had been head of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Unit since April 2017.
Special forces of the Russian army operate under conditions of radioactive, chemical and biological contamination.
Kirillov was married and had two sons.
The Russian general was under sanctions from several countries, including Britain and Canada, for his role in the Ukraine war.
What did Russia say?
The Russian Investigative Committee announced that “Igor Kirillov, head of the radiological, chemical and biological protection units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and his aide were killed.”
Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that a criminal case had been opened.
The commission’s spokeswoman, Svetlana Petrenko, said in a statement that the Russian government was treating the bombing as a “terrorist” attack.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova paid tribute to Kirillov. He said he was working “fearlessly” for the “motherland” by uncovering chemical weapons-related crimes and other crimes in Western countries.
“Realizing the inevitability of military defeat, (Ukraine) is launching a despicable and despicable attack on peaceful cities,” said Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council.
What did Ukraine say?
SBU officials have claimed responsibility for the murder to multiple media outlets, but Ukraine has not made any official comment.
A Ukrainian law enforcement official spoke in detail to Politico on condition of anonymity.
“Kirilov was a war criminal and a perfectly legitimate target because he ordered the use of banned chemical weapons against the Ukrainian military. Such a disgraceful outcome for those who kill Ukrainians. awaits. Retaliation for war crimes is inevitable,” an anonymous official told Politico.
On Monday, the SBU accused Kirillov of using banned chemical weapons during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
The SBU said in a statement on Monday that the Russian military had used banned chemical weapons of various types against Ukraine more than 4,800 times. This included the K-1 combat grenade.
Who else was a Russian official killed during the war?
Russia has accused Ukraine of orchestrating a series of high-profile assassinations during the war.
Ukraine typically denies involvement in attacks inside Russia or Crimea, but officials often praise them in social media posts.
In November, senior Russian naval officer Valery Trankovsky was killed in a car bombing in Crimea. A Ukrainian security official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Ukraine was behind the attack.
In August 2022, Darya Dugina, the daughter of Russian ultranationalist Alexander Dugin, was killed in a car bombing. Ukraine denied any involvement in her murder.
In April 2023, pro-war Russian blogger Vladlen Tatarsky was killed in a bombing at a cafe in St. Petersburg. Ukraine did not claim responsibility for the attack, instead blaming internal conflict within the country.
In July 2023, Stanislav Ruzhitsky, a submarine commander accused by Ukraine of war crimes, was shot dead in Krasnodar Park. Again, Kiev denied any role.
