Moscow, Dec 18 (EFE).- The Kremlin claimed Wednesday that the assassination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov in Moscow proved Russia’s actions in Ukraine are “right,” calling the hit in Moscow proof of the “enemy’s true face.”
“What happened demonstrates how right Russia has been to conduct its special military operation (in Ukraine),” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
He said the general’s killing was “definitive proof that the Kyiv regime does not hesitate to use terrorist methods.”
“As you can see, our special services and law enforcement agencies have been effective, working swiftly here. It is now clear who ordered and organized that terrorist act.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed condolences over Kirillov’s death and praised the rapid response of Russian intelligence services.
Earlier, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the arrest of the alleged perpetrator of the bombing that killed Kirillov and his assistant.
The suspect, a 28-year-old Uzbek citizen whose identity has not been disclosed, reportedly confessed to being recruited by Ukrainian secret services.
According to the FSB, he traveled to Moscow at their request, received a high-powered explosive device, and concealed it in an electric scooter parked near Kirillov’s residence.
To monitor the area, the suspect rented a shared car and installed a Wi-Fi camera that transmitted live footage to his handlers in Dnipro, Ukraine. When the general exited the building, the suspect remotely detonated the bomb, killing Kirillov and his assistant on the morning of Dec. 17.
The Ukrainian agents allegedly promised the suspect $100,000 and relocation to a European Union country in exchange for the operation.
The Uzbek citizen was arrested 30 kilometers east of Moscow, according to Russia’s Interior Ministry.
Separately, the Telegram channel Baza, known for its ties to Russian special services, released a video showing the suspect confessing during interrogation with the man admitting he was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence. EFE
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