The early morning bombing that killed Mr Kirillov, 54, and his assistant is believed to have been an act of terrorism. An explosive device attached to a scooter parked near an apartment building triggered the attack.
The attack was determined to be Ukrainian. Ukrainian security forces, through the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), claimed responsibility for the assassination.
Major General Igor Kirillov, head of the Russian military's radiation, chemical and biological protection unit, attends a news conference at Kubinka Patriot Park, outside Moscow, Russia, on June 22, 2018. (Photo courtesy of AP, not for reuse)
According to information from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the suspect, born in 1995, was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence agencies and promised a reward of up to $100,000 and the opportunity to reside in a European Union country to carry out the attack. This is the highest-ranking assassination of a Russian military general since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began nearly three years ago.
The Ukrainian government has targeted General Kirillov for allegedly using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine. However, as head of Russia’s chemical, biological and radiological defense forces, Kirillov has frequently denied international accusations of Russia’s use of chemical weapons, accusing the Ukrainian military of using toxic agents.
Portrait of the suspect. Photo: Russian Federal Security Service
The assassination is a clear sign that both Russia and Ukraine are trying to exert maximum pressure on any negotiations that might take place. “This is a new, chilling stage in this war,” former Ukrainian government minister Tymofiy Mylovanov wrote on X, calling it part of a retaliatory campaign in which Russia also targeted Ukrainian military officials.
As it has done at other key moments in the war, Russia has vowed to retaliate harshly for Kirillov’s killing. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of the Kremlin’s Security Council, has promised “imminent punishment” for senior Ukrainian figures. At the United Nations, Russia plans to raise the issue with the Security Council.
Some analysts have also warned that the assassination could mark a significant escalation in the conflict. Ian Bremmer, a prominent analyst, said that the attack was not only a significant escalation but also reflected confidence that negotiations would take place soon and that both sides wanted to gain an advantage before going to the negotiating table.
The assassination of Lieutenant General Kirillov is not the first incident targeting high-ranking Russian officials. Last week, Moscow was also the scene of an apparent targeted assassination of a top cruise missile engineer.
The scene where Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense Forces, and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov were killed by an explosive device placed near an apartment complex in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. (Photo courtesy of AP, not for reuse)
Attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine are also on the rise, with strikes targeting the power grid amid the cold weather.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Ukrainian forces continue to be surrounded by Russian troops. Specifically, Kiev is facing many difficulties as Russian forces gain advantages on the eastern front of Ukraine and increase efforts to regain territory occupied by the enemy in the Kursk region.
Hours after the attempted bombing of Mr. Kirillov in Moscow, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking remotely at a regional alliance conference, did not mention the killing of the Russian general. He expressed hope that negotiations could take place soon. He hoped 2025 would be the year the war ended, but he stressed that Ukraine would not give up on a peace deal.
However, the assassination of General Kirillov has raised concerns about a new dark phase in the war, with threats growing and the future of peace talks becoming uncertain.
Hoai Phuong (according to Miami Herald, TASS, Los Angeles Times)
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