Top Russian Chemical Defense Commander, Accused of War Crimes Against Ukraine, Killed in Moscow Explosion

Two Russian military personnel, including a high-ranking general overseeing Russia’s chemical warfare forces and his aide, were reportedly killed in an explosion in Moscow, according to Russian media outlet Astra on December 17.

The blast took place on Ryazansky Prospekt, near the entrance of a residential building. The victims have been identified as Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, commander of the Russian Armed Forces’ Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops, and his assistant.

Reports indicate, that Kirillov’s aide, Ilya, who also served as his driver, had arrived around 6 am to pick up the general for work when the explosion occurred.

The Russian Investigative Committee has confirmed Kirillov’s death and announced the launch of a criminal investigation into the incident.

Kirillov was also an important mouthpiece of the Kremlin disinformation system. This refers to public briefings in which he regularly accused Ukraine of plotting to use chemical weapons and developing a nuclear “dirty bomb.”

Initial findings suggest that an improvised explosive device containing approximately 200 grams of TNT was attached to an electric scooter parked near the building entrance and detonated remotely. Fragments of shattered windows, blown out by the shockwave, were found near the bodies, along with two damaged cars close to the blast site.

The incident follows a recent notice of suspicion, presented to Kirillov in absentia by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). Ukrainian authorities accused the general of war crimes, noting that he ordered the use of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces.

According to the SBU, more than 4,800 incidents of chemical weapon use have been documented since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, resulting in over 2,000 Ukrainian troops suffering varying degrees of chemical poisoning.

Earlier, Head of the Environmental Safety and Civil Protection Department of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Directorate of the Armed Forces Support Command stated that since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 2,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been hospitalized due to poisoning from chemical substances used by Russian forces, with 3 fatalities reported.