Recent news reports a tragic event in Moscow: the assassination of General Igor Kirillov, a high-ranking Russian officer wanted by Ukraine for the use of chemical munitions. Kirillov, who supervised the nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, was killed by a remotely detonated bomb placed in an electric scooter near a residential building in the Russian capital.
Russian authorities have described the act as “terrorist” and are currently investigating the case, involving forensic experts and operational services on the ground. The tragedy comes a day after Ukrainian prosecutors indicted the general for using banned chemical weapons in the conflict in Ukraine.
General Kirillov has been identified as a war criminal by Ukraine, which has reported more than 4,800 cases of chemical munitions used on its orders since the beginning of the conflict. These munitions included grenades equipped with chemical irritants such as CS and CN, riot control agents that are considered tear gas. The use of tear gas in war is strictly prohibited by the UN Chemical Weapons Convention.
General Kirillov had also been sanctioned by the United Kingdom for his role in deploying these inhumane weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine. The British authorities highlighted his responsibility for the use of these barbaric weapons, as well as his contribution to the disinformation spread by the Kremlin to cover up Russia’s reprehensible acts.
The consequences of this assassination underscore the gravity of actions committed during armed conflicts, highlighting the ethical and humanitarian issues related to the use of weapons banned by the international community. The repercussions of these acts recall the imperative of justice and accountability in the face of war crimes and violations of international conventions.
In a context of geopolitical tensions and ongoing armed conflicts, the death of General Kirillov highlights the critical issues of regulating chemical weapons and the need to prosecute those responsible for these heinous crimes. This tragedy underlines the complexity of international issues and recalls the importance of cooperation between nations to prevent such atrocities in the future.