Tensions rise in Moscow after Russian general killed in bomb attack: What’s next?

Moscow is a city where life can seem normal on the surface, but sometimes reality hits hard. The war in Ukraine has been going on for nearly three years, and life in the Russian capital might seem like it hasn’t changed much. 

People still crowd the metro, and young people gather in bars and clubs. But just as quickly, something happens that makes it clear—Russia is far from normal.

What happened?

On Tuesday morning, a shocking event unfolded in Moscow. A senior Russian general, Lieutenant General Igor Kirilov, was killed outside his home. As he was leaving with his assistant, a bomb hidden inside an electric scooter exploded, taking his life.

This attack in Moscow shows just how much the ongoing war in Ukraine has begun to affect Russia itself. 

The people who live near where the explosion took place felt the impact firsthand.

Liza, a Moscow resident, told the BBC, “Reading about something like this in the news is one thing. But seeing it happen right next to you is something completely different.”

She continued, “You might read about it from far away, but when it happens close to you, it’s terrifying.”

Liza lives just near the location of the explosion. She said, “Before, I thought the war was happening far away. But now, when someone dies so close to my house, I feel the consequences of the war in a much more personal way.”

“Every sound now makes me anxious. I keep wondering if it’s the sound of a drone or just construction,” she added.

Until now, many people in Moscow have seen Russia’s war in Ukraine as something happening far away, not really affecting their everyday lives.

Conversations with residents revealed that many thought of the war as something they only watched on TV or smartphones—almost like a distant, virtual event.

But now, with the killing of a senior general right in Moscow, it feels like the war has come to their doorstep. 

The attack has made the conflict “real and very close” for the people living in the city.

So, will this event make Russian authorities rethink their actions?

It doesn’t seem likely.

The Kremlin doesn’t appear ready to change its stance on the war in Ukraine. In fact, some fear the attacks might escalate even further.

The response to General Kirilov’s death has been telling. On a Russian state TV talk show, one host immediately blamed Ukraine, saying, “Through this attack, President Zelensky has signed his own death warrant.”

Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said, “The investigators must find the killers.”

“We must do whatever is necessary to eliminate their supporters in Kyiv,” he added.

As of now, Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t made a public statement about the deaths of the general and his assistant. 

However, he has often said in speeches that Russia will always respond harshly to any threats or attacks on its security.

Given these statements, it’s clear that Russia may be planning to seek “revenge” for what happened in Moscow.

Putin is scheduled to hold his year-end press conference on Thursday, which will be broadcast live on Russia’s main TV channels.