Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence Forces (NBC), was killed in a deadly explosion in Moscow on Tuesday morning. According to the sources of Leaders team, Kirillov, accompanied by his assistant, was leaving a residential building when a bomb, hidden in a scooter, detonated. Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the attack, and images from the scene showed significant damage to the building, with scorch marks on the walls and shattered windows. Two body bags were seen outside the building.
Kirillov had been a prominent figure, having overseen Russia’s chemical defense forces and faced accusations from the UK and Ukraine. In October, the UK imposed sanctions on him, accusing him of being involved in chemical weapon use in Ukraine and spreading Kremlin disinformation. Just the day before his death, Ukraine’s SBU charged him in absentia for his alleged role in the mass use of banned chemical weapons in the ongoing conflict, though Russia denies these claims.
As per the reports of Leaders team, the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case to investigate the murder of Kirillov and his assistant. Forensic experts and law enforcement are working at the scene to determine the full circumstances surrounding the blast.
In recent months, Russia has faced international scrutiny over its alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. In May, the U.S. State Department accused Russia of using chloropicrin, a choking agent, as part of its military tactics in violation of international law. The Kremlin has consistently rejected these allegations, labeling them “baseless.”
The explosion that claimed Kirillov’s life is the latest chapter in the tense and volatile situation surrounding Russia’s military actions and its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
