A Russian general was killed Tuesday morning in the explosion of a booby-trapped electric scooter.
The assassination was allegedly committed by an Uzbek national, according to Russian services.
The suspect was allegedly recruited by kyiv, which promised him $100,000 and exile in a European country.
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Moscow comes out of its silence. Twenty-four hours after the death of Igor Kirillov, this general whose assassination was claimed by kyiv, Russia revealed the first of the investigation: an Uzbek national, born in 1995, was arrested. During his custody, he would have revealed the details of this unprecedented operation on Russian soil.
According to the Investigative Committee, which is overseeing the investigation, the individual was arrested as part of a joint operation with the Russian Security Service (FSB) and the Interior Ministry. The arrest took place in the village of Chernoye, in the Balashikha district, according to the Ria news agency. During interrogation, the suspect claimed to have been “recruited by the Ukrainian special services“, specified the Committee. The man was thus sent to Moscow, where he was given an explosive device. The latter was placed on an electric scooter parked near the building where General Kirillov resided.
An exile “in a European country”
The suspect also rented a car which was also parked near the building and in which a surveillance camera had been installed, investigators explain. The video filmed by this camera was broadcast “in real time to the organizers of the attack, towards the city of Dnipro“, in Ukraine. As soon as the general and his assistant left the building, the explosive device was allegedly activated remotely by the suspect. According to Russian services, the perpetrator was promised in exchange for this attack “a remuneration of 100,000 US dollars“and a chance to move in”in one of the European countries”.
In a video of his confession published by the Baza media, we see the suspect sitting in a van recounting his actions. It is unclear under what conditions he spoke, as the Reuters agency was unable to immediately verify the authenticity of the video. According to the FSB, the suspect risks “sentences up to life imprisonment” pour “murder“, “attack” et “arms trafficking“. Other people involved in the murder are suspected, according to investigators. The daily Kommersant reported that another man had been arrested.
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On the Ukrainian side, this attack is openly accepted: killing this high-ranking officer directly involved in the Russian assault against Ukraine for almost three years is legitimate, kyiv said. The Ukrainian security services (SBU) had also accused the general on Monday of “war crimes” for the use of chemical agents on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Igor Kirillov also distinguished himself by denouncing alleged American bacteriological programs in Ukraine. Accusations for which no credible evidence or clues have been provided.
