Moscow: Senior Russian military officer sanctioned for using chemical weapons in Ukraine dies in explosion

A top Russian army officer was killed in an explosion Tuesday morning near a residential property in southeastern Moscow, the Russian Investigative Committee, in charge of major cases in the country, announced in a statement reported by AFP.

"An explosive device placed on a scooter parked near the entrance of residential real estate was activated on Dec. 17 in the early morning hours on Ryazansky Avenue in Moscow," the committee said. "The commander of the Russian radiological, chemical and biological defense forces, Igor Kirillov, and his deputy were killed," added the statement reported by Russian state media.

A criminal investigation has been opened in connection with the deaths. Investigators and forensic experts were working at the scene along with employees of other emergency services, Russian news agency Tass reported.

Ukraine claims responsibility for assassination of Russian military commander in Moscow

Hours after the event, the Ukrainian security services (SBU) claimed responsibility for the killing of senior Russian military officer Igor Kirillov.

“Today's bomb attack on Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, commander of the radiological, chemical and biological defense forces of the Russian armed forces, was a special operation of the SBU,” said a Ukrainian security services source accessed by AFP.

Igor Kirillov sanctioned for the use of chemical weapons

Kirillov's murder comes after the Ukrainian prosecutor's office accused the commander of using chemical weapons banned in Ukraine, The Kyiv Post highlights.

In this regard, the U.K. imposed sanctions on Kirillov in October this year for the transfer and use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. The U.S. and U.K. then accused Russia of using the toxic agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops, in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

"Russian forces have openly admitted the use of dangerous chemical weapons on the battlefield, with widespread use of riot control substances and there are multiple reports of the use of the toxic choking agent chloropicrin, first used on the battlefields of World War I," the British Foreign Ministry said in its statement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labels chloropicrin, also known as nitrochloroform, as a "lung-damaging agent" that can cause severe irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory system.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) bans its use.

"Kirillov has also been a major mouthpiece for Kremlin disinformation, spreading lies to mask Russia's disgraceful and dangerous behavior," the British Foreign Ministry statement added.

Prior to this sanction, in June, Ukraine accused Russia of increasing chemical weapons attacks, recounting that it had recorded more than 700 cases of use of such substances in the previous month. According to international investigations, Kirillov was responsible for the banned use of this weaponry.