Russia’s security service announced on Wednesday that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of a high-ranking general in Moscow.
The individual, identified as an Uzbek national, is alleged to have been recruited by Ukrainian intelligence.
Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov lost his life on Tuesday when a bomb concealed in a scooter exploded outside his apartment complex, occurring just a day after Ukraine’s security service filed criminal charges against him.
Additionally, the blast claimed the life of Kirillov’s assistant, with a Ukrainian official asserting that their service executed the operation.
While the Federal Security Service of Russia, known as the FSB, did not disclose the name of the suspect, they noted that he was born in 1995.
The FSB’s statement revealed that the suspect claimed he had been enlisted by Ukrainian operatives.
Conditions under which the suspect spoke to the authorities have not been independently verified.
Furthermore, the FSB indicated that the suspect was lured with an offer of $100,000 and the opportunity to relocate to a European Union country if he succeeded in the assassination.
The agency detailed that, following directives from Ukraine, the suspect traveled to Moscow to obtain a homemade explosive device.
He then utilized an electric scooter to place the bomb at the entrance of the building where Kirillov resided.
To monitor the situation, the suspect rented a car and set up a camera to livestream events to his Ukrainian contacts in Dnipro.
Upon witnessing Kirillov exiting the building, the suspect activated the bomb.
According to the FSB, if convicted, the suspect could face a sentence of life imprisonment.
The arrest occurred in a village within the Moscow region, as specified by Irina Volk from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and reported by Russian state news agency TASS.
Kirillov, aged 54, served as the head of the military’s nuclear, biological, and chemical defense forces and had been sanctioned by multiple countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, due to his involvement in Russia’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine.
Just a day prior, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) began a criminal case against him, accusing him of overseeing the use of prohibited chemical weapons.
Russia has consistently denied the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine and has instead accused Ukrainian forces of deploying toxic agents.
Kirillov, who assumed his position in 2017, was a prominent figure in making allegations against Ukraine, frequently holding press conferences to accuse its military of employing poisonous substances and plotting attacks using radioactive materials—claims that both Ukraine and its Western allies labeled as disinformation.
An anonymous SBU official confirmed on Tuesday that the agency coordinated the assault, labeling Kirillov as a “war criminal” and a “legitimate target.”
This official shared footage believed to depict the scene of the bombing, showing two men departing from a building moments before the explosion occurred.
Russia’s principal state investigative body stated it is treating Kirillov’s death as a terrorist act, and officials have promised repercussions against Ukraine.
The Kremlin declared on Wednesday that it was “clear” Ukraine was involved in Kirillov’s assassination, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov asserting that Kyiv “does not shy away from terrorist methods.”