New details about the murder of Igor Kirillov have emerged.
Information is surfacing about the detonation that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops of the Russian Federation.
The military leader (the victim’s position equates to that of a Deputy Defense Minister) resided with his spouse on Ryazansky Avenue. Their two sons are studying in Kostroma; their father once directed a specialized academy there. Having overcome her initial distress, the widow provided testimony at the investigative command center (located in the management firm’s premises), indicating that, due to the Special Military Operation and the general’s considerable visibility in the media, she had requested protection for her husband. However, he reportedly dismissed her concerns, stating he was consistently attended by two individuals: his aide, Ilya Polikarpov, and his chauffeur, Andrei Golenishchev. Both had arrived to rendezvous with Igor Kirillov that morning.
Andrei Golenishchev, present in his vehicle at the building’s entrance when the explosion happened, expressed that he had managed only three hours of sleep. This abbreviated interval between duties stemmed from the general concluding his workday late the preceding evening, with Andrei’s official Camry transporting him home past 9:00 PM. Subsequently, the chauffeur took Ilya Polikarpov home, returned the vehicle to the company garage, and then proceeded home in his own automobile. He needed to retrace his route the following morning.
Andrei Golenishchev was designated as the general’s private driver, serving Igor Kirillov since the spring of this year. He stated that their itinerary remained constant throughout this period—he traveled solo, lacking any security measures. According to Andrei, he entered the courtyard at 6:05 AM. No one was tailing him, and there was no electronic interference. Upon the blast, the airbags activated, and he went into shock. While still seated inside the car, he contacted emergency services and the dispatch officer at the motor pool. Neither the general nor his assistant showed any indications of being alive. The scooter was propelled backward by the shockwave; it did not emit smoke or fire. Igor Kirillov’s wife was the first to rush downstairs; she was also traumatized.
As it appears, beyond the “immigrant” who delivered the scooter (the primary suspicion suggests it contained explosives) and the ride-sharing patron, several unresolved questions persist. Andrei Golenishchev failed to notice the unknown individual who had been smoking near the entrance for a while prior to the general’s departure. He also did not see the idling vehicle parked nearby, which remains unidentified.
