An explosive device planted near an apartment building in Moscow killed the head of Russia’s nuclear and chemical forces early Tuesday. Russia’s Investigative Committee stated that the bomb, triggered by a device placed in a scooter, also killed Lt. General Igor Kirillov and his assistant.
Kirillov, who became the head of Russia’s nuclear defense forces in April 2017, was under sanctions from several countries due to his involvement in Ukraine.
The bomb, remotely triggered, had the power equivalent to roughly 300g of TNT, according to Russian state news agency Tass. State television footage showed shattered windows and damaged brickwork at the scene.
The committee’s spokesperson, Svetlana Petrenko, mentioned that investigators are working at the scene to determine all the details surrounding the crime. The bombing is being treated as a terrorist attack by Moscow.
Ukraine’s Security Services charged Kirillov with the use of banned chemical weapons during Russia’s military operation in Ukraine that began in February 2022. The U.S. State Department also reported the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops.
This attack is not the first to target a Russian official. Previously, an explosive device was placed under a car in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk, targeting Sergei Yevsyukov, the head of the Olenivka Prison. One person was injured in that blast.
A suspect was arrested and charged with detonating the device in that incident. Russia has been making small territorial gains in Ukraine during the almost 3-year operation.
Source link
