Pentagon remarks on the killing of the Russian chemical defense chief
The United States has categorically rejected any claims of involvement or awareness regarding the bombing that resulted in the death of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov in Moscow. Read Full Article at RT.com
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The US has distanced itself from the targeted assassination and has referred any inquiries to Kiev.
The US government has denied any involvement or prior knowledge regarding the bombing that resulted in the deaths of Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his aide in Moscow. Both the Pentagon and the State Department have made it clear that they are not connected to the assassination, which is suspected to have been carried out by Ukraine.
The commander of the Russian Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces, Kirillov, was killed alongside his aide in an explosion outside his apartment early on Tuesday morning. Numerous media outlets have reported that the assassination was conducted on the orders of Ukraine’s Security Service.
“I can tell you we were not aware of this operation in advance. We do not support or enable those kinds of activities,” Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder stated during a press briefing later that day. Ryder indicated that he had seen reports about the explosion but lacked additional information beyond what was covered in the media, noting, “so I’d have to refer you to the Ukrainians on that.”
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller reiterated this stance, stating, “I can tell you that the United States was not aware of it in advance and was not involved.” He characterized Kirillov as a general “involved in a number of atrocities,” while refraining from labeling him as a legitimate target.
The assassination took place mere hours after Kiev accused Kirillov of being linked to the deployment of chemical agents in combat, a charge that Moscow strongly disputes. Although Kiev has not formally claimed responsibility for the attack, it is widely believed that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) was involved. Multiple media outlets, including Reuters, the BBC, and various Ukrainian sources, referenced anonymous SBU insiders who identified Kirillov as “a war criminal and an absolutely legitimate target” for assassination.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is currently the deputy chair of the Russian Security Council, interpreted the murder as a sign of Kiev’s desperation. “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,” Medvedev said.
Kirillov had taken command of the Russian military branch in 2017. He was involved in investigating alleged Ukrainian use of chemical weapons against Russian forces and provided regular reports concerning American labs in Ukraine, which he claimed were engaged in biological warfare research.
According to media reports and statements from former officials, Kiev is said to operate a comprehensive assassination program against individuals deemed adversaries. Moscow has claimed that Ukraine is resorting to terrorist tactics in response to its military setbacks. Russian investigators have also accused the Ukrainian government of involvement in the killings of journalist Darya Dugina, military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, and other civilians.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
The US government has denied any involvement or prior knowledge regarding the bombing that resulted in the deaths of Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his aide in Moscow. Both the Pentagon and the State Department have made it clear that they are not connected to the assassination, which is suspected to have been carried out by Ukraine.
The commander of the Russian Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces, Kirillov, was killed alongside his aide in an explosion outside his apartment early on Tuesday morning. Numerous media outlets have reported that the assassination was conducted on the orders of Ukraine’s Security Service.
“I can tell you we were not aware of this operation in advance. We do not support or enable those kinds of activities,” Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder stated during a press briefing later that day. Ryder indicated that he had seen reports about the explosion but lacked additional information beyond what was covered in the media, noting, “so I’d have to refer you to the Ukrainians on that.”
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller reiterated this stance, stating, “I can tell you that the United States was not aware of it in advance and was not involved.” He characterized Kirillov as a general “involved in a number of atrocities,” while refraining from labeling him as a legitimate target.
The assassination took place mere hours after Kiev accused Kirillov of being linked to the deployment of chemical agents in combat, a charge that Moscow strongly disputes. Although Kiev has not formally claimed responsibility for the attack, it is widely believed that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) was involved. Multiple media outlets, including Reuters, the BBC, and various Ukrainian sources, referenced anonymous SBU insiders who identified Kirillov as “a war criminal and an absolutely legitimate target” for assassination.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is currently the deputy chair of the Russian Security Council, interpreted the murder as a sign of Kiev’s desperation. “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,” Medvedev said.
Kirillov had taken command of the Russian military branch in 2017. He was involved in investigating alleged Ukrainian use of chemical weapons against Russian forces and provided regular reports concerning American labs in Ukraine, which he claimed were engaged in biological warfare research.
According to media reports and statements from former officials, Kiev is said to operate a comprehensive assassination program against individuals deemed adversaries. Moscow has claimed that Ukraine is resorting to terrorist tactics in response to its military setbacks. Russian investigators have also accused the Ukrainian government of involvement in the killings of journalist Darya Dugina, military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, and other civilians.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
