Explosion in Moscow Kills Russian General Linked to Chemical Attacks

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the Chief of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed in an explosion in Moscow. His assistant was also killed, according to the Russian Investigative Committee. Photos and videos from the scene were shared by Russian Telegram channels.

The explosion occurred at around 6 a.m. local time on Tuesday, December 17, near a residential building on Ryazansky Prospekt in Moscow, as Kirillov and his assistant were exiting the building. According to the investigation, the explosive device was planted in an electric scooter that was parked near the entrance. As a result of the explosion in the building itself, the entrance door was blown off, and windows in the apartments from the first to the fourth floor were smashed.

The dead and the scooter, which was allegedly planted with an explosive device.

Moscow, December 17, 2024. Photo credits: Astra Telegram channel

In addition, the Russian general's service vehicle and several nearby vehicles were damaged. The day before, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) reported that it had served a notice of suspicion to the Russian general who ordered the use of chemical weapons against the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

The report refers specifically to Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov. "On Kirillov's order, more than 4,800 cases of enemy use of chemical munitions have been recorded since the beginning of the full-scale war," the SSU said.

K-51 gas grenades

The SSU noted that during the full-scale invasion of Russia, more than 2,000 members of the Ukrainian Defense Forces with varying degrees of chemical poisoning were sent to military hospitals and other medical facilities in Ukraine.

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov. Photo credits: Russian media

Igor Kirilov was 54 years old.

He had been the Chief of the Russian army Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops since May 2017. In particular, he held briefings in which he spoke about the preparation of terrorist attacks in Russia, as well as about "American laboratories" in Ukraine and "combat mosquitoes."

The Russian lieutenant general was under UK sanctions on charges of involvement in the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine and spreading disinformation.