BREAKING: Russia detains Uzbek suspect in General’s killing

A 29-year-old Uzbek man has been arrested in connection with the murder of senior General Igor Kirillov and his deputy in Moscow, according to Russia’s security service.

according to reports, an explosive device concealed in a scooter was remotely detonated on Tuesday, as Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, the director of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Forces, was outside a residential block.

According to state media outlets, the Russian security service claimed that Ukrainian intelligence had recruited the unidentified suspect.

A source who spoke to the BBC on Tuesday, Ukraine’s security service had already claimed responsibility for the murder.

The Ukrainian source disclosed that Kirillov, the head of Russia’s chemical weapons program, was “a legitimate target” and was accused of committing war crimes.

In absentia, Ukraine accused Kirillov, 54, of being “responsible for the mass use of banned chemical weapons” on Monday, the day before the murder.

Russia denied the accusations.

According to the public relations center of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the 29-year-old who was arrested was “suspected of committing a terrorist act” on Wednesday.

He explained that he was recruited by the Ukrainian special services during an interrogation, according to a statement.

The alleged suspect seems to have stated in a video released by the FSB that he was given the opportunity to relocate to the European Union and a $100,000 prize in exchange for killing Kirillov.

According to the FSB, he landed in Moscow and was given a handmade explosive device at Ukraine’s request.

He reportedly parked the electric scooter with the explosive device on it at the entrance to the residential complex where Kirillov resided.

According to the statement, he subsequently rented a car to keep an eye on Kirillov’s home and mounted a camera on the dashboard that allowed handlers in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro to watch a live video feed.

The suspect was instructed to hit the button and set off the explosives when they witnessed Kirillov leave the house, FSB claims.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine over three years ago, Kirillov is believed to be the most senior military official to be slain inside Russia.

The 54-year-old was already sanctioned by the UK for the alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, in addition to being accused by Ukraine.

Under the general’s direction, Russia allegedly deployed chemical weapons more than 4,800 times, according to Ukraine’s SBU security service.

Moscow disputes this, claiming that in 2017 it destroyed the last of its enormous arsenal of chemical weapons.

Images taken outside Kirillov’s apartment complex in southeast Moscow according to report, revealed the severely damaged entrance, with several windows blasted out and burn marks on the walls.

There were two body bags on the street as well.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also stated on Wednesday that Russia would bring up Kirillov’s murder during Friday’s UN Security Council meeting.

Russian authorities have promised to track down and prosecute those responsible for the murder.

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