Ukraine’s spies target Russian figures in increasingly brazen attacks
The operation’s complexity is striking. Explosives were concealed within an electric scooter and detonated remotely, according to Ukrainian sources speaking to the BBC.
Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the victim, is thought to be the highest-ranking military official killed outside the combat zone since the full-scale invasion began.
His assassination has sent shockwaves through Russia’s military and political circles. Ukrainian SBU security service sources have claimed responsibility for the attack.
While Ukraine has conducted numerous operations targeting Russian forces on Ukrainian soil, the ability to strike the head of Russia’s military radiation, biological, and chemical protection forces outside his home in southeastern Moscow raises concerns about Russian security and the range of Ukraine’s capabilities.
The use of a scooter for the attack was a clever choice, as they are common and often left abandoned on Moscow’s streets, drawing little attention.
At the precise moment of detonation—when Gen. Kirillov was leaving his apartment block with his aide—the attackers must have had some form of visual surveillance, whether through cameras or in-person monitoring.
This murder is believed to be part of a series of similar attacks on Russian politicians and military officials in major cities, offering insight into how such operations are carried out.
Yuriy Karin, a military observer based in Kyiv, speculates that the assassination could result from an internal power struggle within the Russian military or the Kremlin’s attempt to eliminate a key witness to war crimes.
If it was the SBU, then the message is clear, he says. “Even within Moscow’s ring road, Russian generals cannot feel safe.”
