In Moscow, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the commander of the radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and his assistant were killed in an explosion.
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The explosion occurred on the morning of December 17 on Ryazan Avenue. According to the Investigative Committee, "an explosive device planted in a scooter parked at the entrance to a residential building was detonated." A criminal case has been opened on charges of terrorism, murder, and illegal arms trafficking.
Kirillov, 54, became head of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces in April 2017 and gained prominence after the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine. He regularly appeared at briefings, making unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine was involved in the development of chemical and biological weapons.
In October 2024, the British government imposed sanctions on General Kirillov for "deploying barbaric chemical weapons in Ukraine," a charge Moscow denies. Additionally, the British government referred to him as "a key mouthpiece for Kremlin disinformation" who spread "lies to cover up Russia’s shameful and dangerous behavior."
On December 16, the day before the explosion, the Security Service of Ukraine indicted Igor Kirillov in absentia. Law enforcement officials said he was responsible for the use of chemical weapons by Russian troops against Ukrainian defenders on the eastern and southern fronts.
Ukrainian media outlets, including Ukrainska Pravda, Kyiv Independent, and the RBC Ukraine news agency, citing sources, reported that the lieutenant general had been killed by Ukrainian special services.
