The assassination of a high-ranking Russian general in Moscow represents the most audacious attack yet on a top military official, extending the conflict in Ukraine to the Russian capital.
Key details regarding the attack and suspected perpetrators are outlined below:
The Incident
Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed Tuesday morning when a bomb concealed on an electric scooter detonated near his apartment building’s entrance in southeastern Moscow. The explosion occurred as he was leaving for work. Kirillov’s aide also perished in the blast.
According to Russia’s FSB (Federal Security Service), the bomb was remotely triggered. Video footage captured by a car-mounted camera shows the men exiting the building and the subsequent explosion.
The Victims
Kirillov, 54, headed Russia’s Radiation, Biological and Chemical Protection Forces. This specialized unit is responsible for safeguarding the military against the use of nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons by enemies and ensuring operational capabilities in contaminated areas.
He was sanctioned by several countries, including the U.K. and Canada, due to his role in the war in Ukraine. On Monday, Ukraine’s SBU (Security Service) initiated a criminal investigation, accusing him of employing banned chemical weapons.
Russia denies using chemical weapons in Ukraine, reciprocating the accusation against Kyiv.
Kirillov, appointed in 2017, was a prominent figure in making these accusations. He frequently held briefings alleging Ukrainian military use of toxic agents and planned radioactive attacks—claims dismissed as propaganda by Kyiv and its Western allies.
His assistant, Ilya Polikarpov, also died in the attack.
Claim of Responsibility
An anonymous SBU official claimed responsibility on Tuesday, describing Kirillov as a “war criminal and a legitimate target.”
The SBU official provided the bombing video.
Arrests
The FSB announced the Wednesday arrest of a suspect, a 1995-born citizen of Uzbekistan. Tass and RIA-Novosti news agencies identified him as Akhmad Kurbanov.
The FSB claims the suspect confessed to being recruited by Ukrainian special services. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify the circumstances of this confession.
According to the FSB, the suspect stated he was promised $100,000 and relocation to an EU country in exchange for Kirillov’s assassination.
The FSB alleges that, following Ukrainian instructions, the suspect obtained a homemade bomb, placed it on an e-scooter near Kirillov’s building, and used a rented car and livestream camera to monitor and detonate it upon Kirillov’s departure.
The FSB stated the suspect faces a potential life sentence.
Russian media reports indicate the FSB tracked the suspect using surveillance camera footage and cellphone records.
Unanswered Questions
The FSB hasn’t disclosed the suspect’s recruitment details. Interior Ministry official Irina Volk informed Tass that he was apprehended in a Moscow region village.
His detention location and court appearance remain unknown, though this is expected in the coming days to determine pre-trial detention terms. Russian law permits a maximum of 48 hours of custody before a court order.
Russia’s Response
Russian officials labeled the bombing a “terrorist act.”
The Kremlin stated Wednesday that Ukraine’s involvement was “obvious,” with spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserting Kyiv employs “terrorist methods.”
While President Vladimir Putin hasn’t publicly commented, Peskov confirmed he offered condolences.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, called the attack an attempt to deflect attention from military setbacks, promising “inevitable retribution” for Ukraine’s “senior military-political leadership.”
Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the lower house of parliament, lauded Kirillov as “a professional military man, an intellectual, a Russian patriot,” who significantly contributed to Russia’s national security.
— Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed.