Russia has detained a 29-year-old man from Uzbekistan over the killing of senior general Igor Kirillov, who was found dead with an explosive device near his apartment block in Moscow. The suspect has admitted to being recruited by Ukrainian special services and claims he was offered a $100,000 reward and a European passport for the crime.
Kirillov, 54, was the head of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Forces. He had been sanctioned by the UK over allegations of using chemical weapons in Ukraine. The Ukrainian security service SBU has claimed responsibility for Kirillov’s killing, alleging that he carried out war crimes.
The investigation found that an explosive device hidden in an electric scooter was detonated remotely near Kirillov’s apartment block on Tuesday morning. The suspect rented a car to monitor the location and installed a video camera to livestream the attack to organizers in Ukraine’s city of Dnipro.
Russia has expressed “deep condolences” over Kirillov’s death, with President Vladimir Putin urging authorities to find and punish those involved in the killing. Russia will also raise the issue at the UN Security Council meeting on Friday.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge9rv38x98o