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West picks and chooses which terrorists are okay — senior Russian diplomat

"However, the perpetrators and masterminds must be identified and held accountable," Sergey Ryabkov stated

MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Western countries’ reaction to the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops, is a stark illustration that they divide terrorists into two groups: "ours" and "others," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters.

"The reaction coming from the West, primarily from non-mainstream individuals and media outlets, is the best proof of the fact that the West is increasingly dividing terrorists into its friends, who are allowed to do whatever they want, and some unspecified foes," he noted.

"However, the perpetrators and masterminds must be identified and held accountable. We will definitely try to make sure that the work that Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov dedicated his life to goes on and is a success," the senior diplomat added.

Investigators revealed that an explosive device hidden in a scooter was detonated near the entrance of an apartment building on Ryazansky Avenue in southeast Moscow on the morning of December 17. The blast claimed the lives of Kirillov and his assistant. The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation under articles 105 ("Murder"), 205 ("Act of Terrorism"), and 222 ("Illegal Weapons and Ammunition Trafficking") of the Russian Criminal Code. Authorities are working to identify all individuals involved in the crime. The press bureau of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that the suspect behind Kirillov’s assassination has been apprehended. The detainee, an Uzbek national, was allegedly promised $100,000 in cash and a chance to relocate to a European Union country.

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