A senior Russian military intelligence official was shot and wounded in an apparent assassination attempt in Moscow on Friday. Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, the deputy chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff (GRU), was targeted by an unidentified gunman outside his home.
The shooting occurred on Volokolamsk Highway in the northwestern district of the Russian capital. According to the Investigative Committee of Russia (ICR), the assailant fired multiple shots at the 64-year-old general before fleeing the scene. Alekseyev was transported to a local hospital, where he remains in serious condition.
Investigation Underway
Authorities have opened a criminal case for attempted murder and illegal weapons trafficking. Svetlana Petrenko, a spokesperson for the Investigative Committee, stated that investigators are currently examining the scene, reviewing security camera footage, and interviewing witnesses.
Russian state media reported that the general was shot in the back. Video footage aired on television showed investigators working in the snow-covered, gated courtyard of the apartment complex where the attack took place. No suspects have been named, and law enforcement is continuing a manhunt for the shooter.
Accusations and Political Context
The attack comes amidst heightened tensions and ongoing conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Ukraine of organizing the assassination attempt, though he did not provide evidence to support the claim. Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the incident.
This shooting follows a pattern of attacks targeting high-profile Russian military figures since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. It also occurred just one day after a Russian delegation, led by GRU chief Admiral Igor Kostyukov, participated in trilateral peace talks with U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Abu Dhabi.
A Key Military Figure
Lieutenant General Alekseyev is a prominent figure in Russia’s security establishment. As the first deputy head of the GRU, he has been deeply involved in the country’s military operations in Ukraine.
His career has drawn significant international attention. The United States sanctioned Alekseyev in 2016 for his alleged role in cyber activities intended to interfere with democratic processes. The European Union also sanctioned him in 2019, linking him to the nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Salisbury, England.
In June 2023, Alekseyev was one of the key officials sent to negotiate with mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin during the short-lived mutiny by the Wagner Group.
