Russia Detains Uzbek Suspect in Killing of Chemical Defense Chief Kirillov, Alleges Ukrainian Involvement

Dec 18, 2024, 08:54 AM

Russia has detained a 29-year-old Uzbek citizen, identified as Akhmad Kurbanov, suspected of assassinating Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Forces, in a bomb attack in Moscow, authorities said on Wednesday. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that the suspect confessed to planting and detonating a bomb, which killed General Kirillov and his aide. According to the FSB, the suspect was recruited by Ukraine's security service, who promised him $100,000 and a European passport in exchange for carrying out the assassination. The suspect allegedly planted the bomb on an electric scooter and placed a hidden camera in a rented car to film the bombing, then detonated it remotely near General Kirillov's residence. The suspect was detained in the village of Chernoye, east of Moscow.