Jenna Moon
Early this morning, an explosion in a Moscow neighbourhood killed Russian Lt Gen Igor Kirillov and his assistant, Ilya Polikarpov. Sources within Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) say it was behind the blast.
Here's a recap:
- Kirillov headed Russia's Radiological, Biological, Chemical Defence Forces (NBC). Just yesterday, Ukraine charged Kirillov in absentia for war crimes - it says he oversaw the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian soldiers
- The bomb was detonated remotely, according to Russian state media, and contained anywhere from 300g to 1kg of explosives
- The bomb was seemingly planted on a scooter outside the building and went off when Kirillov and his aide left this morning
- Kirillov was known for outlandish claims and had long suggested Ukraine was developing a "dirty" nuclear bomb. He was described by the UK as "a significant mouthpiece for Russian disinformation"
- Ukraine has been stepping up its assassinations, our defence correspondent Jonathan Beale writes. The SBU is believed to be behind the deaths of two other Russian officials in recent weeks
- And - from the scene - our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg says the explosion brings the Ukraine war home for people in the capital
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