A top Russian military officer, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, died on Tuesday when a bomb placed inside an electric scooter exploded near a residential building in Moscow. Kirillov, who led Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, died from injuries, along with his assistant, according to reports.

The explosion took place outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt, a large street situated approximately seven kilometers southeast of the Kremlin. The bombing has prompted Russia's investigative committee to open a criminal case as officials investigate who is responsible for the deadly bombing.

According to Russian investigators, Kirillov and his assistant were leaving the building when the secret device exploded. Chilling photos shared on Russian Telegram channels revealed the aftermath—a destroyed building entrance strewn with debris and blood-stained snow where two bodies lay motionless.

The area has since been sealed off, and law enforcement officials are investigating the incident. "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," stated Russia’s investigative committee.

Who was Igor Kirillov?

 Kirillov commands Russia's Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces, generally known as RKhBZ. This is an elite unit that works in contaminated spaces, including radioactive or chemical threats.

 The attack comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Just a day before the incident, Ukrainian prosecutors accused Kirillov in absentia of deploying banned chemical weapons in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Security Service made the allegations public, although Russia has firmly denied any wrongdoing.

 As Russian authorities piece together details of the explosion, questions linger over who orchestrated the attack and why Kirillov was targeted.