On December 17, Russia suffered a major blow when Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of Russia`s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed in a bomb blast. The explosion, hidden inside an electric scooter, occurred outside his apartment in Moscow. His assistant also died in the blast. Ukraine’s intelligence agency, SBU, claimed responsibility for the attack. Kirillov was charged by Ukraine for allegedly using banned chemical weapons and had been sanctioned by several countries, including the U.K. and Canada, due to his role in the war. The blast caused shattered windows and damaged the building’s entrance. The bodies of the victims were found nearby. This killing of a high-ranking Russian officer is expected to lead to retaliation from Russia. Kirillov led the RKhBZ, special forces tasked with protecting Russian troops in extreme conditions involving chemical, biological, or radioactive threats.