Russia announced on Wednesday that a man from Uzbekistan has been detained in connection with the killing of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, a senior Russian military official, and his assistant in Moscow. Kirillov, who led Russia's radiological, biological, and chemical protection forces, was targeted by a remotely detonated bomb placed on an electric scooter outside his apartment building.
The attack occurred a day after Ukrainian prosecutors indicted Kirillov for Russia's alleged use of banned chemical weapons during the conflict in Ukraine. Sources suggest that Ukraine's security service, the SBU, orchestrated the bombing, with the Uzbek suspect reportedly recruited and instructed by the SBU. The suspect was promised a cash reward and the opportunity to seek refuge in a European country.
The suspect surveilled Kirillov's residence using a rented car equipped with a surveillance camera. The footage was monitored by organizers in Ukraine, who remotely triggered the bomb as Kirillov and his assistant left the building.
Kirillov's assassination, close to the Kremlin, marks the fourth killing of key military figures in Russia in recent months. While the incident may not significantly impact Russia's military operations, it has raised concerns among the country's elite.
The Kremlin condemned the attack as a terrorist act, attributing it to Ukraine's aggressive tactics. Ukraine defended the action, labeling Kirillov a war criminal for allegedly authorizing the use of banned chemical substances against Ukrainian forces.
The United States and the United Kingdom had previously sanctioned Kirillov's government entity for its alleged deployment of chemical weapons in Ukraine. Chloropicrin, a banned chemical agent affecting the eyes, skin, throat, and lungs, was reportedly used by Russia in violation of international agreements.
The incident has reignited tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with implications for Central Asian immigrants in Russia. The suspect's Uzbek nationality may lead to increased scrutiny of immigrants from the region, as seen in previous cases involving Central Asian perpetrators.
The killing of Kirillov underscores the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides resorting to extreme measures in the ongoing war.
