RUSSIAN FORCES' RADIOLOGICAL DEFENCE TROOPS HEAD KIRILLOV KILLED IN BLAST

MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of the Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence of the Russian armed forces, has died as a result of an explosion in Moscow, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal case in connection with an incident on Ryazanskiy Prospekt in Moscow, which resulted in the deaths of two men.

"According to the investigation, on the morning of December 17, an explosive device, planted in a scooter parked next to the entrance of a residential building, was detonated on Ryazanskiy Prospekt in Moscow. As a result of the incident, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological defence troops of the armed forces of Russia, Igor Kirillov, and his assistant were killed," the committee wrote on Telegram.

Investigators and forensic experts were working at the site of the explosion in southeastern Moscow, the committee added.

The power of the explosive device amounted to about 200 grams (0.4 pounds) in TNT equivalent, an emergency services spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

"According to preliminary information, about 200 grams of TNT were used in the explosion on Ryazanskiy Prospekt," the spokesperson said.

The blast wave shattered the windows in the house opposite to where the bomb went off. The courtyard was cordoned off while investigators were on site on Tuesday morning, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported. A resident of the house, near which the blast occurred, told RIA Novosti she heard a loud bang at 6:12 a.m. (03:12 GMT).

--BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI