Top Russian General Assassination Sparks Tensions

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, a top Russian military officer linked to alleged chemical warfare, was assassinated in Moscow. Ukraine's SBU intelligence service reportedly carried out the attack. The killing has heightened tensions, with Russia vowing revenge. Kirillov was known for his roles in defensive military operations.

In a high-profile incident, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, a top Russian military officer implicated in chemical warfare accusations, was assassinated in Moscow. The bomb attack, which also claimed his assistant, was attributed to Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency. The killing has intensified existing geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with calls for retribution emerging from Moscow.

Following the attack, broadcast footage revealed Dmitry Medvedev, a senior Russian official, pledging that Moscow would retaliate against what he termed a terrorist act. Medvedev asserted that the masterminds behind the assassination were located in Kyiv, placing the blame squarely on Ukraine's political and military leadership.

Kirillov, who was 54, commanded Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops and was previously sanctioned for alleged use of riot control agents. As Moscow tightens security measures in response, Ukraine maintains its position that such targeted killings are a legitimate form of warfare.

(With inputs from agencies.)