The U.S. denies involvement in the targeted killing of a prominent Russian general, attributing responsibility to Ukraine.
The Pentagon and State Department have explicitly rejected any participation in or foreknowledge of the bombing that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his aide in Moscow. The incident, widely reported as a Ukrainian operation, resulted in the death of the commander of Russia’s Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces and his assistant in an explosion near his residence early Tuesday.
Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder stated, “I can tell you we were not aware of this operation in advance. We do not support or enable those kinds of activities.” He indicated his knowledge was limited to media reports, deferring further comment to Ukrainian authorities.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller corroborated this, stating, “I can tell you that the United States was not aware of it in advance and was not involved.” Miller described Kirillov as involved in “atrocities,” while avoiding explicitly labeling him a legitimate target.
The assassination followed Kiev’s accusation that Kirillov was connected to the use of chemical weapons—a claim Moscow denies. Although Kiev hasn’t claimed responsibility, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) is widely suspected. Multiple news sources, citing anonymous SBU sources, have described Kirillov as “a war criminal and an absolutely legitimate target.”
Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and deputy chair of the Russian Security Council, viewed the killing as a sign of Ukrainian desperation, stating, “This is a clear indication of the agony of the Ukrainian government, which uses its remaining strength to justify its worthless existence to Western masters, prolong war and death, and explain away the catastrophic situation on the front line.”
Kirillov, who assumed command in 2017, investigated alleged Ukrainian chemical weapons use and reported on purported American biological warfare research in Ukraine.
Reports suggest Kiev operates an extensive assassination program targeting perceived enemies. Moscow alleges these actions reflect Kiev’s resort to terrorism due to battlefield setbacks, citing the deaths of journalist Darya Dugina, military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, and other civilians as examples.