Moscow: A top general in charge of Russian nuclear protection forces has been killed along with an aide by a bomb hidden in an electric scooter in Moscow, according to Russia’s investigative committee. Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, head of the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Defence Forces (NBC), was outside a residential block early on Tuesday when a device hidden in a scooter was detonated remotely, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.
A source in Ukraine’s SBU security service claimed Kirillov was “a legitimate target” and alleged he had carried out war crimes.
A source in the Security Service of Ukraine says the agency claims responsibility for the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov. Ukraine has yet to officially comment.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had “opened a criminal case into the murder of two servicemen”.
“Investigators, forensic experts and operational services are working at the scene,” it said.
“Investigative actions and operational search activities are being carried out aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the crime.”
Russian state news agencies reported the explosive device – which killed 54-year-old Kirillov and his aide in Ryazansky Avenuein the south-east of the city – had an explosive force equivalent to 300g of TNT.
They added that bomb experts and specialist search dogs had inspected the surrounding area and no other explosives had been found.
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