Igor Kirillov Assassination: A Bold SBU Operation in Moscow
**The assassination of Igor Kirillov, a high-ranking Russian military official, took place in Moscow on Tuesday and has been confirmed as a ‘special operation’ executed by Ukraine’s SBU security service, according to an insider from the agency who spoke with AFP. Kirillov, the highest-ranking Russian army officer targeted on home soil, was killed alongside his assistant when an explosive device rigged to a scooter detonated just outside an apartment complex in southeastern Moscow.**
According to the SBU source, ‘The elimination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who led the Russian Armed Forces’ radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops, was a strategic operation by our agency.’ The source further described Kirillov as a war criminal, asserting that he was a ‘completely legitimate target’ due to his orders for the deployment of prohibited chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces.
On the eve of his assassination, Kirillov had been charged in absentia by Ukrainian authorities for alleged war crimes following a comprehensive investigation by the SBU. Notably, he had previously faced sanctions from the UK in October due to suspicions surrounding the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.
The SBU source ominously stated, ‘Such an inglorious end awaits all those who kill Ukrainians. Retribution for war crimes is inevitable.’ It was confirmed that the deadly device detonated as Kirillov approached the entrance of the building located on Ryazansky Avenue in Moscow.
