A high-ranking official of the Russian military intelligence was injured in a shooting incident in Moscow on Friday, marking another violent event following a series of assassinations targeting senior military personnel that Russia has attributed to Ukraine.
According to Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko, Lt.-Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev was shot multiple times by an unknown assailant at an apartment complex in northwest Moscow and subsequently hospitalized.
While Petrenko did not specify the perpetrator behind the attack on the 64-year-old deputy head of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, Alekseyev, who has held the position since 2011, was recognized with the Hero of Russia award for his involvement in Moscow’s military actions in Syria.
The shooting occurred shortly after Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. representatives concluded discussions in Abu Dhabi aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Russian delegation, led by Adm. Igor Kostyukov, the head of military intelligence, participated in the talks. President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the incident, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasizing the need for enhanced security measures to safeguard senior military officials during the Ukraine conflict.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov labeled the shooting as a potential “terrorist act” orchestrated by Ukraine to sabotage peace negotiations, although Ukrainian authorities have not responded to the accusation.
The attack on Alekseyev, who hails from Ukraine’s Soviet era, transpired as he attempted to fend off the assailant, disguised as a delivery person, in the stairwell of his residential building. Alekseyev was wounded in the foot and arm before being shot in the chest as the attacker fled the scene.
Alekseyev, known for overseeing Russian military intelligence operations in locations such as Syria and Ukraine, has been targeted by sanctions imposed by Western nations due to his alleged involvement in various incidents, including meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and the 2018 Novichok poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England.
In recent years, Russia has blamed Ukraine for several assassinations of military officials and public figures, with Ukraine claiming responsibility for some incidents. Notably, Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov and Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik were among the senior military officers who lost their lives in attacks attributed to Ukraine.