Ukraine Claims Russian General Killed in Moscow Was “Legitimate Target”

A Ukrainian source informed the BBC that Ukraine’s security service was responsible for the deaths of a senior general in the Russian armed forces and his aide in Moscow. Russia’s Investigative Committee (SK) reported that Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who led the Radiation, Biological and Chemical Defence Forces, died early on Tuesday outside a residential building when an explosive device concealed within a scooter was remotely detonated. A source within Ukraine’s SBU security service asserted that Kirillov constituted “a legitimate target” and accused him of committing war crimes. The SBU had previously charged Kirillov, aged 54, in absentia on Monday, stating via Telegram that he was “responsible for the mass use of banned chemical weapons.” The Ukrainian government has refrained from commenting on the general’s demise thus far. Images from the incident site in south-eastern Moscow depicted significant damage to a building’s entrance, including scorch marks on its walls and several shattered windows. Additionally, two body bags were visible on the street. Russian investigators maintained a cordon around the block on Tuesday morning while they continued their examination of the vicinity. In October, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Kirillov, citing his alleged oversight of chemical weapons use in Ukraine and his role as a “significant mouthpiece for Kremlin disinformation.” Ukraine’s SBU has asserted that Russia employed chemical weapons over 4,800 times during the general’s command. Moscow refutes these accusations. The SK announced it had “opened a criminal case into the murder of two servicemen.” It further stated, “Investigators, forensic experts and operational services are working at the scene,” adding that “Investigative actions and operational search activities are being carried out aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the crime.” Russian state news agencies reported that the explosive device responsible for the deaths of Kirillov and his aide on Ryazansky Avenue possessed an explosive force comparable to 300g (0.7lb) of TNT. These agencies also indicated that bomb experts and specialized search dogs had examined the surrounding area and located no additional explosives. Experts informed BBC Verify that, based on images from the site, the explosion seemed to have been caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), a homemade bomb typically containing readily available components like nails or glass. While previous assassinations of high-ranking officials have occurred in Russia, incidents of this nature in Moscow are uncommon. Liza, a resident living one building from the explosion site, conveyed to the BBC that although she was not entirely taken aback, Igor Kirillov’s killing was a “shocking” event. She stated, “It’s one thing reading about it in the news, it feels far, but when it happens next door, that’s completely different and frightening.” Liza further remarked, “Until now, [the war] felt as if it was happening a long way off – now someone is dead, here, you can feel the consequences,” and added, “unfortunately, I don’t think things will calm down any time soon.” Multiple other local residents reported initially believing the loud sound they heard originated from a construction site. Mikhail Mashkov, a student residing in the adjacent building, informed the AFP news agency that he was roused by a “very loud explosion noise,” initially assuming “something fell at the construction site,” before investigating outside. Olga Bogomolova recounted thinking a container had dropped at the construction site, but then comprehended “it was a very strong explosion,” observed “broken windows,” and recognized it was something different. Residents in the vicinity expressed profound shock to the BBC. Despite nearly three years having passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, for numerous Muscovites, the conflict has remained a distant event, primarily experienced through television or mobile devices. The killing of a Russian general within Moscow indicates that this war is indeed tangible and geographically proximate. Kirillov was subject to an assets freeze and travel ban under UK sanctions. In May, the United States accused Russia of employing chemical weapons as a “method of warfare” in Ukraine, thereby violating international prohibitions on their use. State Department officials asserted that Russia utilized the choking agent chloropicrin to achieve “battlefield gains” against Ukraine. The SBU reported that Russian forces have deployed drones to deliver chemical weapons onto Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian Colonel Artem Vlasiuk had previously stated that over 2,000 Ukrainian service members received hospital treatment for chemical poisoning during the conflict, and three individuals had died. The Kremlin dismissed these accusations at the time, labeling them “baseless.” Kirillov held various positions within Russia’s military related to hazardous materials, including within the Directorate of the Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defence Troops. He assumed leadership of his unit in 2017. In response to Kirillov’s death, the official spokesman for UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated: “Clearly we are not going to mourn the death of an individual who has propagated an illegal invasion and imposed suffering and death on the Ukrainian people.” Ukraine’s Security Services seem to be intensifying their targeting of high-ranking Russian individuals nearly three years into the conflict. Kirillov’s demise occurred less than a week after a notable Russian weapons expert was fatally shot near his Moscow residence. Ukrainian media outlets indicated that Ukraine’s military intelligence service conducted the assassination of Mikhail Shatsky. Additionally, senior Russian naval officer Valery Trankovsky and Russian prison chief Sergei Yevsyukov also perished in recent weeks following car bomb explosions in Russian-occupied Ukraine.