Russian general shot and wounded in Moscow, in latest attack on top military leaders
A Russian General Seriously Injured in Moscow Attack
A Russian general, serving as deputy head of military intelligence, was shot and critically wounded in Moscow on Friday, officials reported. This incident marks the latest in a series of attacks targeting high-ranking military figures. An unidentified assailant fired multiple shots at Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev within a residential building on Volokolamskoye Highway and then fled the scene, according to a statement from a Russian Investigative Committee spokesperson.
Investigation and Criminal Case Opened
The Investigative Committee confirmed that its officers are at the scene, with investigators actively searching for the shooter. A criminal case has been initiated, alleging the attempted murder of a senior defense ministry official. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the Ukrainian government of orchestrating the attack, though no evidence was presented. Ukrainian authorities have not yet responded to the allegations.
Alekseyev’s Condition and Background
Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev, 64, was transferred to a city hospital and is currently in intensive care, with his condition described as serious by Russian state media. He holds the position of first deputy head of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate, also known as the GRU. Alekseyev has been sanctioned by the United States since 2016 for cyber activities aimed at undermining U.S. democratic processes. The European Union added him to sanctions lists in January 2019 following the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government attributed to GRU agents.
“The toxic nerve agent ‘Novichok’ was possessed, transported, and used in Salisbury by officers from the GRU,” stated the EU sanctions description, which also named sanctioned Russian military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov.
Role in Ukraine and Accusations
Alekseyev has been involved in the war in Ukraine, including secret negotiations with a Ukrainian parliament member to end Russia’s 2022 siege of Mariupol. A Ukrainian intelligence report alleges he was responsible for organizing missile and air strikes on Ukrainian territory, targeting civilians, as well as orchestrating illegal referenda in occupied regions. Ukraine has also accused him of war crimes in Syria.
2023 Negotiations and Statements
In 2023, Alekseyev was dispatched to negotiate with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner private mercenary group, during the group’s mutiny. At the time, he labeled Prigozhin’s actions as a coup and a “stab in the back of the country and the president.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted during a Friday press briefing that intelligence services were investigating the attack and would provide findings to President Vladimir Putin. He concluded: “We wish the general survival and recovery.”
