The assassination of one of Russia’s top commanders by Ukrainian forces has sparked outrage among Russian leaders. However, their fury might be somewhat misplaced given that the targeted killing of Lt Gen Igor Kirillov was a reaction to Russia’s persistent offensive, aligning with Ukraine’s right to self-defense as recognized by international law.
The explosion that rocked a tranquil Moscow neighborhood didn’t just eliminate the head of the Russian military’s chemical, biological, and radiological weapons unit. It also showcased the impressive capabilities of Ukraine’s intelligence service. The general and his aide, the highest-ranking figures eliminated since Russia’s invasion in 2022, fell victim to a bomb ingeniously hidden in a parked scooter. The device was remotely detonated outside a residential building, sending a strong message.
Lt Gen Kirillov likely understood he was a target. His unit, the RKhBZ, specializes in operations involving radioactive, chemical, and biological threats. Just a day prior, the SBU had charged him in absentia for the alleged “mass use of banned chemical weapons.” Kyiv reports that over 2,000 of its soldiers required hospitalization due to exposure to choking agents, with three losing their lives.
Internationally, one of the most cited defenses for targeted killings links back to the UN charter. Article 51 underscores a nation’s right to self-defense if an armed assault occurs. When a state uses lethal force in conflict, it must adhere to international humanitarian laws. From this perspective, the Russian general was a legitimate target, and Ukraine appears to have respected conflict laws, ensuring military action was necessary and proportionate, avoiding civilian harm.
This past October, the UK imposed sanctions on Lt Gen Kirillov, accusing him of commanding the deployment of chemical weapons in Ukraine and acting as a “significant propagandist for Kremlin disinformation.” His job was a dual role: defending Russia physically and narratively, each as hazardous as the other.
The Kremlin alleges that Ukraine has been orchestrating deadly operations on Russian soil since the February 2022 full-scale invasion. Major incidents include the 2022 car-bomb assassination of Darya Dugina, the nationalist thinker Alexander Dugin’s daughter; the death of pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky in a cafe explosion in 2023; and the previous year’s shooting of a Russian submarine commander accused by Kyiv of war crimes.
Wartime assassinations are unquestionably complex. Just last week, Ukraine’s intelligence claimed responsibility for the assassination of Mikhail Shatsky, deputy director of a Moscow-based ballistics unit involved in cruise missile development. If validated, this act emphasizes Kyiv’s bold strategy to cripple Russia’s war apparatus from within.
These lethal operations follow a grim logic born from the harsh reality of warfare. For Ukraine, these targets represent vital parts of the machinery wreaking havoc on its cities. For Russia, such killings are painted as acts of terrorism – a narrative Moscow often uses to divert focus from its actions in the conflict. Yet, there’s a stark contrast: Russia is the aggressor, while Ukraine defends itself against this aggression.
