MOSCOW (AP) -- An explosive device planted close to a residential apartment block in Moscow killed the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence Forces, Lt. General Igor Kirillov, early Tuesday, Russia's Investigative Committee said.

Kirillov's assistant also died in the blast, triggered by the device which was placed in a scooter, officials said.

kAm#FDD:2? :?G6DE:82E@CD 92G6 @A6?65 2 42D6 :?E@ E96 EH@ 562E9D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 4@>>:EE66VD DA@<6DA6CD@? $G6E=2?2 !6EC6?<@]k^AmkAm"x?G6DE:82E@CD[ 7@C6?D:4 6IA6CED 2?5 @A6C2E:@?2= D6CG:46D 2C6 H@C<:?8 2E E96 D46?6[" D96 D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E] "x?G6DE:82E:G6 2?5 D62C49 24E:G:E:6D 2C6 36:?8 42CC:65 @FE E@ 6DE23=:D9 2== E96 4:C4F>DE2?46D 2C@F?5 E9:D 4C:>6]"k^Am kAm&<C2:?6'D $64FC:EJ $6CG:46D @? s64] 'e 492C865 z:C:==@G H:E9 E96 FD6 @7 32??65 496>:42= H62A@?D 5FC:?8 #FDD:2'D >:=:E2CJ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^CFDD:2\F<C2:?6Qm@A6C2E:@? :? &<C2:?6k^2m E92E DE2CE65 :? u63] a_aa]k^AmkAm&<C2:?6'D $64FC:EJ $6CG:46[ E96 $q&[ D2:5 E92E E96J 925 C64@C565 >@C6 E92? c[g__ FD6D @7 496>:42= H62A@?D @? E96 32EE=67:6=5 D:?46 u63CF2CJ a_aa[ A2CE:4F=2C=J z\' 4@>32E 8C6?256D]k^AmkAmsFC:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^CFDD:2\F<C2:?6\H2C\C67F866D\H2CD2H\a42c7h5ef42f2_5g2aa4af7''d36477gQmE96 2=>@DE b\J62C @A6C2E:@?k^2m[ #FDD:2 92D >256 D>2== 3FE DE625J E6CC:E@C:2= 82:?D E@ E96 ?62C=J @?6\7:7E9 @7 &<C2:?6 :E 2=C625J 4@?EC@=D]k^Am