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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv claims assassination of Putin’s nuclear general in Moscow scooter bomb attack

Igor Kirillov was charged by Kyiv yesterday over alleged use of banned chemical weapons in war

Tom Watling ,Alex Croft,Jabed Ahmed
Tuesday 17 December 2024 12:17 EST
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Defense expert warns of major Russian retaliation after general’s death in Moscow

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Ukrainian security services have killed a senior Russian general in charge of nuclear protection forces in Moscow today, intelligence sources in Kyiv have claimed.

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt after a bomb hidden in an electric scooter detonated.

In a statement to the Financial Times, an intelligence source described Kirillov as a “completely legitimate target”.

He was sanctioned by Britain in October for his battlefield involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection forces of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, and his assistant were killed,” the investigative committee said.

Photographs posted on Russian Telegram channels showed a shattered entrance to a building littered with rubble and two bodies lying in the blood-stained snow.

His death comes a day after Ukrainian prosecutors charged him with the alleged use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine war.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said the Ukrainian leadership faces imminent revenge for the “cowardly and despicable strikes”, the RIA state news agency reported.

Watch: Aftermath as Russian general killed in Moscow explosion

Aftermath as Russian general killed in Moscow explosion
Alex Croft17 December 2024 09:36

Watch: Defence expert warns of major Russian retaliation after general’s death in Moscow

A defence expert has warned of major Russian retaliation after a senior Russian general in charge of nuclear protection forces died in Moscow on Tuesday (17 December).

Igor Kirillov was killed outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt.

His assistant was also killed, a Russian investigative committee said.

Defense expert warns of major Russian retaliation after general's death in Moscow
Alex Croft17 December 2024 09:34

Ukrainian leadership faces imminent revenge - Medvedev

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and former president of Russia, said the Ukrainian leadership faces imminent revenge for killing a top Russian general, according to RIA state news agency.

"Realising the inevitability of its military defeat, it launches cowardly and despicable strikes in peaceful cities," Medvedev said.

A source in the Security Service of Ukraine has claimed Kyiv was responsible for the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops.

Alex Croft17 December 2024 09:21

Watch live: Police swarm Moscow after Russian general killed in Ukraine-claimed attack

Live: Police swarm Moscow after Russian general killed in Ukraine-claimed attack

Watch live from Moscow as police surround the scene of a bomb explosion that killed a senior Russian general on Tuesday, 17 December.

Tom Watling17 December 2024 09:05

Electric scooter fitted with bomb pictured at site of Moscow assassination

An electric scooter that exploded near a senior Russian general is seen in Moscow
An electric scooter that exploded near a senior Russian general is seen in Moscow (@RALee85/X)
Tom Watling17 December 2024 08:47

Who was Igor Kirillov, senior Russian general killed by bombing in Moscow?

Who was Igor Kirillov, senior Russian general killed by bombing in Moscow?

Igor Kirillov was charged by Kyiv over use of banned chemical weapons in war

Tom Watling17 December 2024 08:33

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