Pentagon voces remarks on bombardment ‘operation’ that murdered Russian general
Date
12/18/2024 7:14:03 AM
(MENAFN) The Pentagon and State Department have denied any prior knowledge or involvement in the bombing that killed Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant on Tuesday. The targeted assassination, believed to be carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), resulted in the death of Kirillov, the commander of Russia's Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces, outside his Moscow apartment.
Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder emphasized that the U.S. had no prior awareness of the operation and does not support such actions. He referred inquiries to Ukrainian authorities, as he did not have additional details beyond media reports. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller echoed this, stressing that the U.S. was not involved, although he described Kirillov as being linked to multiple atrocities without directly labeling him a legitimate target.
The assassination occurred shortly after Ukraine accused Kirillov of involvement in using chemical agents against Russian troops, a claim that Moscow strongly denies. While Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, numerous media outlets report that the SBU is behind it, with sources within the agency identifying Kirillov as a "war criminal" and a legitimate target.
Russian officials, including former President Dmitry Medvedev, have criticized the assassination as a desperate act by the Ukrainian government to justify its actions amidst military setbacks. Kirillov, who commanded the Russian military branch since 2017, was also involved in reporting on alleged Ukrainian chemical warfare activities and American biological research labs in Ukraine.
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