Explosion Kills Chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops in Moscow

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Troops, and his aide were killed in an explosion on December 17 in southeastern Moscow.

The blast, triggered by an explosive device planted in an electric scooter, occurred near the entrance of a residential building on Ryazansky Avenue.

Svetlana Petrenko, spokeswoman for the Russian Investigative Committee, confirmed that Kirillov and his assistant died at the scene. Images shared on Russian social media platforms depicted the aftermath, showing a shattered building entrance and the bodies of the victims lying in the snow, surrounded by debris.

The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case and is currently probing the circumstances of the attack. Law enforcement has established a police cordon at the site, as investigators gather evidence.

Kirillov, a senior military official, was previously charged by Ukraine in absentia for alleged war crimes related to the use of chemical weapons in the conflict. Russia has denied these accusations. Additionally, in October, the United Kingdom sanctioned Kirillov and the Russian nuclear protection forces for the reported use of toxic agents on the battlefield, including chloropicrin, a choking agent.

Kirillov claimed in August 2024 that Ukraine covertly used chemical weapons disguised as smoke shells in Sudzha, Kursk Region. Ukrainian forces deployed 155mm DM105 cluster munitions on August 11, affecting over 20 people. Laboratory tests by Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed the presence of chlorine aerosol and suffocating agents. These munitions, supplied to Ukraine in September 2023, were found to contain a metal chloride mixture used as a cover. The mixture's toxicity, studied at the U.S. Fort Detrick laboratory, is known to irritate the respiratory system and cause severe poisoning, leading to a ban on such shells in the U.S.

Russia’s Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops are specialized units that operate under conditions of hazardous contamination, including radioactive, chemical, and biological threats.