The News
The head of the Russian military’s chemical weapons unit was killed in Moscow in a bombing attributed to Kyiv.
Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov is the most senior Russian official killed in the country’s capital since Moscow launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and had been blamed by Kyiv for the “mass use” of chemical weapons during the conflict.
Kirillov and his assistant were killed by explosive devices that appear to have been rigged to an electric scooter, which was set off remotely, the BBC reported.
The Kyiv Independent, the BBC, and AFP all cited Ukrainian sources to say the country was behind the attack that killed Kirillov.
SIGNALS
Moscow’s rising use of chemical weapons
Russia has been increasing its use of chemical weapons in its almost three-year war against Ukraine, a recent investigation by The Kyiv Independent found. In May, there were 715 recorded incidents, compared to 81 in December last year. In the Donbas region, which had endured months of grinding warfare, the deployment of bioweapons — usually via drones — forced soldiers out of the trenches into the open where they were then taken out by artillery. The tactic was effective, the investigation noted, allowing Russia to capture positions without destroying them. The deployment of chemical weapons is a breach of international humanitarian law: “Retribution for war crimes is inevitable,” a source in the Ukrainian security services told the outlet following the killing.
Peace talks look more likely with Trump taking office
The Ukraine war has markedly intensified in recent weeks, which analysts attribute to the two sides seeking bargaining chips ahead of widely expected peace talks following US President-elect Donald Trump’s accession to office. The incoming US president has repeatedly claimed he will end the war “within a day” of entering the White House, with the growing prospect that Ukraine will have to cede ground to Moscow. At his first press conference since winning the election Trump stated: “You know it’s nice to say they want their land back, but the cities are largely destroyed,” Politico EU reported. At the same time, Le Monde reported that some EU officials are prepared to deploy troops to Ukraine to ensure that a ceasefire deal is enforced.