Igor Kirillov: Russia's chemical weapons chief and mouthpiece killed in Moscow

Igor Kirillov, a prominent general in Russia, tragically lost his life in an explosion in Moscow. He was the head of the Russian troops responsible for dealing with radiation, chemical, and biological threats. In the eyes of many in the West, Kirillov was seen as a key figure overseeing the use of chemical weapons in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, within Russia, he was regarded as a dedicated patriot, committed to revealing what he perceived as the crimes of Western nations. Ukrainian intelligence sources claimed responsibility for the explosion that killed him, describing it as a special operation targeting a 'war criminal. ' Reports indicated that Kirillov and an aide were killed when explosives concealed in an electric scooter detonated as he exited his residence on Ryazansky Prospekt in southeastern Moscow. Kirillov had gained notoriety for his dramatic press briefings at the Russian defense ministry, which led the UK Foreign Office to label him as a dangerous figure. He was not merely a spokesperson; he had been leading the Russian army's Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops since 2017. This unit's primary responsibilities included identifying hazards and safeguarding their own forces from contamination, but they were also tasked with inflicting damage on the enemy using incendiary weapons. This was believed to refer to Russia's flame-throwing systems capable of destroying targets with thermobaric warheads. Reports indicated that the troops under Kirillov's command had deployed chemical weapons in Ukraine, including the use of riot control agents and the toxic choking agent chloropicrin. On the eve of his death, Ukraine's SBU announced that Kirillov had been named in absentia in a criminal case for the mass use of prohibited chemical weapons on the eastern and southern fronts in Ukraine. They cited over 4,800 instances of chemical munitions being used against Ukrainian territory since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Toxic substances were reportedly utilized in drone attacks and combat grenades. Kirillov's notoriety began with a series of unfounded claims directed at both Ukraine and the West, including one that suggested Ukraine was developing a 'dirty bomb. ' He produced documents in March 2022, claiming they had been seized by Russia on the day of the invasion, which were amplified by pro-Kremlin media but dismissed by independent experts. His allegations against Ukraine persisted into this year, with claims that Ukraine's counter-offensive aimed to seize the Kursk nuclear power plant. He presented a slideshow, allegedly based on a Ukrainian report, suggesting that only Russian territory would be affected by radioactive contamination in the event of an accident. Kirillov frequently asserted that Ukraine was working on a 'dirty bomb,' claiming that two organizations in Ukraine were in the final stages of creating such a weapon. These assertions were rejected by Western nations as 'transparently false. ' However, Kirillov's claims prompted Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky to caution that if Russia accused Kyiv of preparing such a weapon, it indicated that Russia was likely preparing to use one itself. Kirillov revisited his 'dirty bomb' claims last summer, alleging the discovery of a chemical weapons laboratory near Avdiivka, a city in eastern Ukraine captured by Russian forces. He accused Kyiv of violating the international Chemical Weapons Convention with various substances, including psychochemical warfare agents and hydrocyanic acid. Despite being a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention and having destroyed its Cold War-era chemical weapons in 2017, Russia faced accusations from the US regarding the use of chloropicrin on the battlefield in Ukraine. Kirillov's violent death sent shockwaves through Russia's military and political circles. A moment of silence was observed in the Duma, Russia's parliament. Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev described Kirillov's death as an 'irreparable loss,' while retired General Andrei Gurulyov warned that the killing would not go unanswered. Gurulyov emphasized that Kirillov was responsible for procuring weapons meant for the battlefield and understood the 'criminal activities of the US and its allies. ' His death is perceived by pro-Kremlin loyalists as not only a significant blow but also as evidence that Ukraine possesses the capability to target high-profile officials in Moscow. Some commentators even speculated about the involvement of British or American agents, suggesting that enemy operatives were active and gathering intelligence within Russia.