Bomb Kills Head of Russia’s Nuclear Defense Forces in Moscow

A bomb explosion near an apartment building in Moscow killed Lt. General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s nuclear and chemical defense forces, and his assistant early on Tuesday. According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the device was placed in a scooter and remotely detonated. The bomb’s blast had the force of approximately 300 grams of TNT. Russian state news agency Tass reported that the explosion caused significant damage, including shattered windows and scorched brickwork.

Authorities are treating the incident as a terrorist attack. Investigators and forensic teams are working at the scene to gather details about the crime. Kirillov, who was appointed to head Russia’s nuclear defense forces in April 2017, had faced sanctions from several countries, including the U.K. and Canada, due to his involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

The Ukrainian Security Services (SBU) had previously charged Kirillov on December 16 for allegedly using banned chemical weapons during Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, which began in February 2022. The U.S. State Department had also reported the use of chloropicrin, a chemical weapon, against Ukrainian forces. The SBU has documented over 4,800 chemical weapon uses, particularly the K-1 combat grenades, since the war began.

This bombing is part of a broader pattern of attacks against Russian officials. On December 9, an explosive device targeted Sergei Yevsyukov, the head of a prison in Donetsk, causing injuries and further highlighting the ongoing violence as Russia maintains control over parts of Ukraine.