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Scooter Bomb Kills Russian General in Moscow, Kiev Claims Responsibility

Kiev claims operation: “A legitimate target”

Scooter Bomb Kills Russian General in Moscow, Kiev Claims Responsibility

General Igor Kirillov, commander of Russia's nuclear, chemical and biological defense forces, was killed in a bombing in Moscow. Kiev claimed responsibility, calling the operation an "inevitable punishment" for war crimes attributed to the general. The explosion also killed his assistant.

Ordigno in un monopattino: ucciso un generale russo a Mosca. Kiev rivendica la responsabilità

The attack in Moscow

According to Tass news agency and confirmed by the spokeswoman of the Russian Investigative Committee, Svetlana Petrenko, the attack took place on the morning of 17th December near the entrance of a residential building on Ryazansky Avenue in Moscow. An explosive device, placed in an electric scooter and activated remotely, detonated as General Igor Kirillov and his assistant were leaving the building.

Initially, Russian authorities had spoken of approximately 300 grams of explosives equivalent to TNT, but it was later clarified that the power of the device exceeded one kilogram by TNT.

The images released show a devastating scene: the entrance to the building was severely damaged, with burn marks, broken windows and debris scattered across the floor. Videos shared on international media, including ukrainska pravda, show the exact moment of the explosion, with the scooter flying into the air and General Kirillov, along with his assistant, fatally hit.

The reaction of the residents

A witness, a resident of the area, told international media about the fear caused by the explosion. “At first we thought that cement or something similar had been dumped, but it was too strong. It looked like a war scene, it was very scary,” she said.

Kiev claims operation: “A legitimate target”

A few hours after the attack, the Ukrainian security services (SBU) have claimed responsibility for the operation. According to a Ukrainian source quoted by the agency AFP, General Kirillov was singled out as a “legitimate target” due to his direct involvement in the use of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces.

“Kirillov was a war criminal. He ordered the use of prohibited weapons against our army, inflicting suffering and death. Such an inglorious end awaits all those who kill Ukrainians. Punishment for war crimes is inevitable,” a source quoted by the agency as saying. RBC Ukraine.

The claim comes a day after a Ukrainian court convicted the general in absentia. According to Ukrainian authorities, Kirillov had ordered more than 4.800 chemical weapons attacks since the beginning of the conflict.

Generale Igor Kirillov
General Igor Kirillov

General Igor Kirillov's profile

Igor Kirillov, commander of the Russian forces for protection from radiation, chemical and biological agents, was a key figure in the Russian military. Accused by the Ukrainian authorities of directing the use of prohibited weapons, Kirillov had long been in the crosshairs of the Kiev security forces.

International reactions: London and Washington

Kirillov's killing has sparked mixed reactions internationally. The UK has taken a tough stance, saying that he will "not mourn the death" of the Russian general. The British Prime Minister's spokesman Keir Starmer He said that Kirillov “imposed suffering and death on the Ukrainian people.”

The position of the United States. Washington distanced itself from the operation, stressing that it had not been informed in advance of the Ukrainian action. A senior American official reiterated that the United States “does not support” the killing of foreign military leaders, while condemning Kirillov’s actions in Ukraine.

The symbolic implication of the attack

The killing of Igor Kirillov is a significant blow to the Russian military leadership, as well as having a highly symbolic value for Kiev. The attack demonstrates the ability of Ukrainian intelligence to target key figures in the Russian war apparatus even in the capital Moscow, bringing the war into an urban context far from the front line.

It remains to be seen how Russia will react to this action, considered one of the most daring carried out by Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. While Kiev celebrates the operation as a victory against an alleged war criminal, the Kremlin could intensify military and retaliatory actions.

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