Medvedev issues caution to The Times due to reply to Russian general’s assassination
Date
12/20/2024 3:04:57 PM
(MENAFN) Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev harshly criticized the British newspaper The Times for justifying the assassination of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, who led Russia’s Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces. Medvedev called the newspaper’s editors “lousy jackals” and accused them of being part of a broader hybrid war against Russia.
In an article published Tuesday, The Times claimed that Ukrainian security services had admitted to carrying out the assassination and described the killing as a "legitimate act of defense by a threatened nation." The article referred to the attack as a "discriminate strike against an aggressor" and portrayed it as a warning to other Russian officials loyal to President Vladimir Putin.
Kirillov was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) outside his home on Tuesday morning. Russian investigators found that the bomb, packed with up to 1 kg of TNT, had been attached to an electric scooter near his residence. The Russian authorities suspect Ukrainian special services were behind the attack, which followed accusations from Kyiv that Kirillov was involved in using chemical agents on the battlefield—an allegation that Moscow has denied.
Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy head of Russia's Security Council, condemned The Times' editorial in a Telegram post, calling the justification of the assassination a "terrorist attack." He argued that according to the newspaper’s logic, its editors, along with all Western leaders who supported Ukraine, could be deemed "legitimate military targets" for Russia.
Medvedev further stated that anyone involved in supporting Ukraine’s military efforts, including media outlets like The Times, could be considered accomplices to crimes against Russia. He warned the British newspaper’s staff, saying they, too, could now be targets, adding, “Be careful! After all, a lot can happen in London.”
Following Kirillov’s death, Russian authorities launched a criminal investigation, charging the attack with murder, terrorism, and illegal arms trafficking. On Wednesday, the Investigative Committee announced the arrest of a 29-year-old Uzbek national, who reportedly confessed to being recruited by Ukraine’s SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) to carry out the bombing in exchange for a $100,000 reward and safe passage to the European Union.
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