How will Putin respond to Russian general's killing? | BBC Ukrainecast

I think it shows that Ukrainian uh military civilian intelligence that their actions are actually quite um effective if they really want to get their work done they can do that so special operations and all the others so it's I think it's good [Music] news hello this is Victoria darisha in the Ukraine cast studio and this is Vitalia shevchenko also in the Ukraine cast studio and let's introduce you to the defense editor at The Economist Shashank Joshy welcome back Shashank great to be back on thank you for having me and also joining us is B BR

laia's foreign minister welcome to Ukraine cast thank you so much hello there we're going to start if we may with a question from one of our listeners hi Ukraine cast this is Sally from Yorkshire I've just read about the assassination of eagle kirov and I'm worried that this could be the spark that really escalates the war not just inside Ukraine but outside also I would welcome your thoughts thank you so shashan can go to you first do you think this is going to change the dynamic of this war no it's not the first highlevel assassination

that Ukraine's conducted inside Russia it won't be the last and I think it's just critically important to correct one thing which is that many people are reporting this as being the death of the Russian nuclear defense chief that is not correct the person who died General Igor kirillov was the chief of Russia's radiation chemical biological protection troops that sounds a bit of a mouthful it sounds very scary essentially it is dealing with things like how do you operate on a battlefield where chemical weapons have been used or where there's radiation he had no control over

nuclear weapons that may be why some people feel a little bit jittery a little bit nervous but he had no control or custody of nuclear forces I've just got to make that completely clear I hope and that didn't really stop him from using chemical weapons against Ukraine according to Ukraine the United States and the UK at least yes he was under sanctions by the UK and and others for his role in the use of chemical weapons inside Ukraine Ukraine says these chemical weapons have been used on many many occasions uh these are these are pretty

low-level chemical agents they're not things like sort of novichok of the kind you know the nerve agent that we was used in Salsbury but nonetheless they are banned under the chemical weapons convention kirillov isly played a role in doing that and you can see why he would have been seen as a a high level Target for the ukrainians and forign Minister what's your response to this news I think it shows that Ukrainian uh military civilian intelligence that their actions are actually quite um effective if they really want to get their work done they can do

that so special operations and all the others so it's I think it's good good news foreign minister BR let's talk about the The Diplomatic um implications of rep repercussions if you like sure there's a lot of talk about talks between Russia and Ukraine do you think this uh killing this assassination will they make it will it make it more complicated or will they make them happen more quicker sooner um you know as discussed it's not like Ukraine has taken responsibility for it that's the sources that suggest that so uh uh that's sort of without outright

sort of involvement I don't think we can connect anything to anyone um so I don't relate it to the talks or or anything directly we know that there are contacts via third countries with regard to freeing the prisoners of War who are in horrible conditions in Russia uh being tortured and abused and all the worse things possible so Ukraine is very interested to get them out so why a third countries they are succeeding in certain cases turkey and few others have played a role the stolen children have been freed so there are some uh via

VIA contacts uh that result in certain outcomes so why are the about the peace talks um I think it's much more serious because we don't see any indication that Russia is serious about anything to do with peace I think it's quite opposite all the indicators with regard both to the financing of the war or the concentration of political military and all the other resources towards the war if we want peace Russia has been has to be forced to have peace and that means arming Ukraine and making sure that Ukraine is in the best possible situation

on the battlefield and then maybe maybe uh they can succeed or whoever wants to sort of force Russia to have peace talks maybe that possible for now we are not seeing any of that foreign minister you described it in your first answer as good news can you explain why you say that I think uh if uh indeed Ukraine was behind it it shows that they are able both to Target certain uh objects military uh targets legitimate military targets they are able to access and they are able to implement which is a sort of deterrence in

a way but also as Shashank rightly said that it also shows the fact that uh key people even in Russia uh can be uh eliminated but again that is uh something uh a source says this or that uh we can assume but there is no proof that Ukraine is behind it [Music]