A high-ranking Russian general, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, was killed in an explosion in Moscow on Tuesday, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Kirillov, who served as the head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Defence Forces (NBC), died when an explosive device concealed in a scooter detonated outside a residential building.
Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the incident, stating that Kirillov’s assistant was also killed in the blast.
The attack comes amid increasing scrutiny of Kirillov’s role in Russia’s military operations. In October, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on him, accusing him of overseeing the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine and amplifying Kremlin disinformation narratives.
On Monday, Ukraine’s secret service, the SBU, charged him in absentia, saying he was “responsible for the mass use of banned chemical weapons”.
The charges marked the latest in Ukraine’s efforts to hold senior Russian military officials accountable for alleged war crimes.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, its timing raises questions about potential Ukrainian involvement.
Chioma Kalu
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