**Russian General Killed in Moscow**
A high-ranking Russian general and his assistant were killed in a bombing in Moscow on Tuesday. The Ukrainian security service, SBU, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Radiation, Biological and Chemical Defence Forces, was outside a residential building when a bomb hidden in a scooter exploded remotely. The Investigative Committee (SK) said the blast caused significant damage to the building.
The Ukrainian government has not commented on the general’s death, but the SBU claimed Kirillov was a “legitimate target” due to his involvement in war crimes and the use of banned chemical weapons.
**War Crimes Allegations**
The SBU accused Kirillov of being responsible for the mass use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. The UK had previously placed sanctions on him, citing his role in overseeing the use of such weapons and spreading Kremlin disinformation.
Moscow denies the allegations, but experts say that judging from images of the scene, it appears the explosion was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
**Reaction**
People living near the scene of the bombing expressed shock and fear. For many Muscovites, the war in Ukraine has seemed distant until now.
The killing of a Russian general in Moscow is a sign that this war is very real and close to home. The UK Prime Minister‘s spokesman said that Kirillov’s death was not mourned, given his role in propagating an illegal invasion and imposing suffering on Ukrainian people.
**Escalation**
This attack comes as Ukraine’s Security Services appear to be stepping up their targeting of senior Russian individuals. It is less than a week since a prominent Russian weapons expert was shot dead near his home in Moscow.
The death of Kirillov adds to the growing list of high-profile assassinations, including those of Russian naval officer Valery Trankovsky and prison boss Sergei Yevsyukov.