Two individuals have been detained on suspicion of murdering Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops (RCBZ) of the Russian Armed Forces, along with his assistant.
This development was reported by Kommersant and RBC.
Details of the Investigation
Law enforcement officials reportedly followed leads from the crime scene, focusing on two suspicious vehicles captured by surveillance cameras.
The suspects were detained on December 17 and have confessed to their involvement, according to the 112 Telegram channel.
Kommersant sources claim the organizers of the attack contacted the suspects via instant messaging apps and provided connections to an alleged Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) contact.
The crime was solved quickly, according to investigators.
The Investigative Committee of Russia confirmed the arrest of a 1995-born Uzbek citizen in connection with the case.
During interrogation, the suspect stated he was offered $100,000 to carry out the attack and promised a trip to an EU country for resettlement.
How the Attack Was Carried Out
According to the FSB, the suspect received a homemade explosive device in Moscow and attached it to an electric scooter. Using a rented car-share vehicle, he installed a Wi-Fi camera to surveil the target. Once the video showed Kirillov and his assistant leaving their residence, the device was detonated remotely.
Footage from the camera was streamed to Dnipro, Ukraine.
The explosion occurred early in the morning of December 17 near a residential building on Ryazansky Prospekt in Moscow. The blast, equivalent to 1 kg of TNT, killed both Kirillov and his assistant, Ilya Polikarpov.
The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case on charges of terrorism, murder, and illegal arms and ammunition trafficking.
Conflicting Claims of Responsibility
A source within the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the BBC that the attack was a special operation.
“Kirillov was a war criminal and a legitimate target, as he ordered the use of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops. Such an end awaits everyone who kills Ukrainians,” the source said.
However, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, denied Kiev’s involvement.
“Ukraine does not use terrorist methods,” Podolyak stated, emphasizing that Ukraine’s decisions are made only on the battlefield and not “elsewhere.” He suggested that Kirillov’s death may have been the result of an internal Russian conflict.
