Information
Russian authorities announced the arrest of a 29-year-old Uzbek national accused of assassinating Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, commander of Russia’s radiological, chemical, and biological defence forces, and his adjutant Ilya Polikarpov. The attack occurred in a Moscow suburb when a remotely detonated bomb hidden in or attached to an electric scooter killed both men instantly. Russia’s Investigative Committee claimed the suspect admitted to being recruited by Ukrainian special forces in exchange for $100,000 and EU travel, while the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) labelled the incident a terrorist act. Ukrainian sources tied to the SBU domestic intelligence agency unofficially claimed responsibility for the assassination, marking it as retaliation for Kirillov’s alleged role in ordering the use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, accusations Moscow denies.
This attack is part of a broader trend of targeted killings attributed to Ukraine’s SBU against key Russian military and propaganda figures. These operations include the 2022 car bombing of Alexander Dugin’s daughter and the December 2023 killing of defected Ukrainian lawmaker Illia Kyva in Moscow. Ukraine’s SBU appears to be increasingly focusing on high-ranking military specialists. In response to the latest assassination, Russia plans to address the incident at the United Nations Security Council, with officials vowing to find and punish those involved.
Source: AFP, Reuters
So what
Though it is highly likely the Ukrainian SBU are responsible for this attack, it seems unlikely that this guy is the legitimate assassin. It seems more likely that he has been set up or paid off to accept responsibility so that Russian authorities can save some face. Though Russia is well within its right to complain to the UN, it is almost certain nothing will come from it. Additionally, Ukraine will likely continue these types of operations but likely against opportunity targets rather than using a systematic process.
Follow us to join the intelligence community!
For this story and more, check out “The Intel Brief” podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!