Russia's Nuclear Protection Forces Chief Killed By Bomb In Moscow

A senior general in the Russian armed forces was killed in an explosion in Moscow on Tuesday. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who is chief of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, was leaving a residential block when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter was detonated, killing him.

Kirillov's assistant was also killed in the explosion that occurred outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt, which starts a road some seven km (4 miles) southeast of the Kremlin, news agency Reuters reported quoting Russia's investigative committee.

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

The blast comes as what Moscow calls its special military operation in Ukraine nears its third anniversary. The explosion shattered several windows of the building and severely damaged the front door, according to images published by Russian media.

As per the report, the area has been cordoned off and a criminal case has been opened.

Russia's radioactive, chemical and biological defence troops, known as RKhBZ, are special forces who operate under conditions of radioactive, chemical and biological contamination.

According to a report by AFP. Kirillov, who had been in his post since 2017, was sanctioned in October by Britain over the alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.

On Monday, Ukrainian prosecutors also charged him in absentia with the alleged use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine said, according to the Kyiv Independent.

Russia denies those accusations.