Russian authorities have detained a suspect in connection with the bombing that claimed the lives of a prominent general and his aide in Moscow.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Investigative Committee revealed that a man from Uzbekistan had been apprehended as the primary suspect in the fatal attack that occurred on Tuesday morning. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant, Ilya Polikarpov, were both killed in the incident.

The suspect, aged 29, reportedly admitted during questioning that he had been “recruited by Ukrainian special forces," according to the committee.

Kirillov, 54, had served as the head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops since 2017. The bomb that killed him was concealed in an electric scooter parked outside a residential building.

Russian media reports indicate the device was detonated remotely. Photographs from the aftermath showed shattered windows and scorch marks on the building’s facade.

A source within Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that the agency organized the operation. However, Kyiv has not made an official statement on the matter.

The Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) released a video of the suspect’s interrogation, stating that he could face “a life sentence” if convicted. The suspect was allegedly promised a $100,000 reward and the opportunity to relocate to an EU nation in exchange for executing the assassination.

Following instructions from Ukraine, the suspect reportedly traveled to Moscow, where he retrieved a homemade explosive device. He attached the bomb to the electric scooter and left it near Kirillov’s residence. The FSB claimed the suspect also rented a car to keep the area under surveillance and set up a live-streaming camera to transmit footage to “the operation’s organizers in the city of Dnipro, Ukraine.” The explosion was triggered after the general was observed leaving the building.

The Kremlin responded for the first time on Wednesday, condemning Ukraine for orchestrating what it described as a “terrorist attack.”

“This is further evidence that the Kyiv regime relies on terrorist tactics,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Who was Igor Kirillov?

Kirillov is the highest-ranking Russian military official to have been assassinated within Russia by Ukrainian operatives.

His death is expected to push Russian officials to reassess security measures for senior military personnel.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kirillov had led numerous briefings, often accusing Ukraine of deploying toxic agents or preparing to use radioactive weapons — allegations dismissed by Ukraine and its allies as baseless propaganda.

Throughout the conflict, Russia has pointed fingers at Ukraine for carrying out targeted assassinations on its territory. Such accusations have included the deaths of missile engineers, weapon designers, and military officers commanding long-range units responsible for striking Ukrainian targets.