Russian authorities have detained a 29-year-old man from Uzbekistan in connection with the killing of senior military officer Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov and his assistant, Ilya Polikarpov, in Moscow earlier this week.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee (SK), the attack occurred early on Tuesday when an explosive device concealed in an electric scooter was remotely detonated outside a residential block in the south-eastern part of the Russian capital. Kirillov, head of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Forces, was targeted alongside his assistant, who was also killed in the blast.
The SK claims the suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, confessed to being recruited by Ukrainian special services to carry out the attack. However, no evidence has been provided to support this claim. Ukrainian authorities, through their security service (SBU), have taken responsibility for the killing, stating that Kirillov was a legitimate target due to his alleged involvement in war crimes. A Ukrainian source confirmed to the BBC that Kirillov was charged in absentia with “mass use of banned chemical weapons” the day before his death. Moscow denies the allegations, insisting that its military did not employ chemical weapons.
In a statement following the incident, the Kremlin conveyed its condolences to Kirillov’s family, with President Vladimir Putin expressing deep sorrow for the loss of the general. The Investigative Committee reported that the suspect, born in 1995, had rented a car and placed a camera inside to livestream the location to organizers based in Dnipro, Ukraine. The explosive was triggered remotely when Kirillov and Polikarpov exited the building.
Russia’s Federal Security Services (FSB) released footage of the suspect’s interrogation. In the video, the man, dressed in handcuffs, claims he was promised $100,000 and a European passport in exchange for carrying out the assassination. He further stated that he received a homemade explosive device upon arriving in Moscow on Ukrainian instructions. It remains unclear whether his confession was made voluntarily or under duress.
Kirillov’s assassination is believed to be the most significant killing of a senior Russian military figure since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2024. The general had previously been sanctioned by the UK over the alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, with the SBU claiming that more than 4,800 chemical attacks occurred under his command. Russia maintains that it destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile in 2017.
The explosion at Kirillov’s apartment complex caused extensive damage, with scorch marks on the walls and shattered windows. Two body bags were seen outside the building following the blast. Russian officials have vowed to track down those responsible and raise the issue at the United Nations Security Council on Friday.
