Member-only story
This week’s brave killing of Russian General Igor Kirillov on a Moscow street is a stark example of how good Ukraine is getting at secret operations. The attack, which was planned and carried out with great skill, showed that Ukraine can get into enemy land and attack from inside. But even though the operation has shocked Moscow’s top military and political leaders, it’s still not clear what effect it will have on the war as a whole.
A Hit to Moscow’s Military Leaders: General Igor Kirillov, 54, wasn’t just any target. Kirillov, a key member of Russia’s nuclear, biological, and chemical defence forces, is said to have given the order to use illegal chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops. His death is one of the most important killings that happened in Russia since the war started, and it shows that Ukraine can target important leaders far from the battlefield.
“The effect on Russian elites’ minds is big,” said Douglas London, who used to be the head of a CIA post. “It serves as a reminder that they are weak even in the middle of their capital.”
The operation was carefully thought out. As Kirillov left an apartment block in Moscow, a bomb hidden in an electric bike went off from afar. A camera in a car across the street gave Ukrainian agents real-time images that helped them keep accurate time. Not only did the attack kill Kirillov, it also killed his assistant, which made it even worse.
A War on Several…
