Official statements from the Russian government or military

Russian Nuclear Defense Chief and Assistant Killed by Scooter Bomb in Moscow

Dec 17, 2024, 08:19 AM

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed along with his assistant in an explosion in Moscow's Ryazansky Prospekt district on Tuesday. The blast occurred near a residential building when an explosive device hidden in an electric scooter detonated as they were exiting the building. The explosion damaged nearby windows and doors. Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation is underway. Kirillov was one of the most senior Russian officers to be assassinated since the invasion of Ukraine. There are reports that Ukrainian security services claimed responsibility for the attack, although this has not been officially confirmed.