Russia has arrested an Uzbek man in connection with the assassination of General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s chemical weapons division, who was killed in a bold bombing on Tuesday in Moscow. The attack, which also claimed the life of his assistant, was attributed to Ukrainian forces by the Kremlin. The explosive device, attached to a scooter, detonated outside Kirillov’s apartment building in southeastern Moscow.
The detained suspect, an Uzbek national born in 1995, confessed to being recruited by Ukrainian special forces. He claimed he was promised $100,000 and a European passport for carrying out the attack. The explosive device was remotely triggered after being placed on the scooter. The incident was streamed live to Ukrainian organizers in Dnipro via a camera mounted on a car parked nearby.
The Investigative Committee of Russia has charged the suspect with terrorism, while continuing to search for other individuals involved. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov praised the swift action of security forces.
Kirillov, a prominent military figure, was recently sanctioned by the UK for his alleged involvement in chemical weapon attacks in Ukraine. The Ukrainian SBU security service claimed responsibility for the assassination, calling Kirillov a “war criminal” and justifying the attack as retribution for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
The assassination occurred amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides accusing each other of atrocities in the war.
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