Russia detains suspect in assassination of general sanctioned for chemical weapons use
NBCDec 07, 2024
Suspect Detained in Relation to Killing of Russian General
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Above: A view of the scene after Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia's Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Defense Troops, and his assistant were killed in an explosion in Moscow, Russia on Dec. 17, 2024. Image copyright: Sefa Karacan/Anadolu/Contributor via Getty Images
The Facts
Officials in Russia said Wednesday that a 29-year-old Uzbek national had been arrested in connection with a bomb that killed a senior Russian general and his aide a day earlier.
The individual, who was not identified in official statements, was named by a number of Telegram channels as Akhmad Kurbanov, though this could not be independently confirmed.
According to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the man confessed his role in the killing of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov and his aide Ilya Polikarpov through the placement of an explosive device in an electric scooter outside Kirillov's Moscow residence on Tuesday.
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
The individual responsible for these crimes has confessed his guilt and been charged accordingly. Employees of Ukrainian intelligence that were involved in organizing this terrorist attack will also be located and punished.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
The Russian official was a war criminal who directed numerous chemical weapons attacks against Ukraine. As such, his targeting was completely legitimate.
