Igor Kirillov: Russian general in charge of nuclear troops killed by blast in Moscow

A senior Russian general in charge of nuclear protection forces has been killed by a bomb hidden in an electric scooter, Russia's investigative committee says.

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who is in charge of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, died in the street outside a block of flats about 4 miles (7km) southeast of the Kremlin.

His assistant also died in the explosion.

Ukraine latest: Russian general killed in Moscow blast

"The head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection forces of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, Igor Kirillov and his assistant were killed," the investigative committee said.

Photographs posted on Russian Telegram channels showed two bodies lying in the blood-stained snow next to the wrecked entrance to a building.

Russian news agency TASS said the bomb contained the equivalent of 300g of high explosive.

Several cars and the first four floors of the apartment building were damaged, the news agency added.

Police are now investigating.

Russia's radioactive, chemical and biological defence soldiers, known as RKhBZ, are special forces who operate when there is a threat from radioactive, chemical and biological contamination.

On Monday, a Ukrainian prosecutor charged General Kirillov in absentia with allegedly using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine said.

It was claimed that General Kirillov was "using dangerous chemicals mainly in the hottest areas of combat, where they [Russia] are trying to hide the use of chemical agents under dense artillery fire."

Russia denies those accusations.

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In October, the UK sanctioned General Kirillov and the nuclear protection forces for using riot control agents, with reports of the use of the toxic choking agent chloropicrin on the battlefield.

"Among those sanctioned today are the Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence Troops of the Russian Armed Forces and its leader Igor Kirillov, responsible for helping deploy these barbaric weapons," the government said in its announcement of the sanctions.

It was added that General Kirillov was also a "significant mouthpiece for Kremlin disinformation, spreading lies to mask Russia's shameful and dangerous behaviour".

'We can only assume it was done by Ukraine'

Tobias Ellwood, former chair of the Defence Select Committee, said: "Both sides know there's just one month left until Donald Trump returns to the White House and that is affecting behaviour on the battlefield.

"In a month's time talks are bound to start about a potential ceasefire and about a potential deal so every oppourtunity is being taken to gain territory, to seek advantage, to prosecute existing plans to cause harm and that is what I think is playing out here.

"The killing of Igor Kirillov we can only assume was done by Ukraine, and is a major event.

"The removal of a senior military officer not on the battlefield, but in Moscow, just miles from the Kremlin, this will be an embarrassment for Putin.

"He cannot hide this from the Russian people who are generally not supportive of this war and I would expect a major retaliation on the Russian side."

(c) Sky News 2024: Igor Kirillov: Russian general in charge of nuclear troops killed by blast in Moscow