In brief
In a concerning incident, Russian authorities have identified three suspects in the shooting of Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev. The primary suspect, Lyubomir Korba, reportedly arrived in Moscow on a mission for Ukrainian intelligence, although Kyiv denies any involvement. Alexeyev, who serves as the deputy head of Russia's GRU military intelligence, underwent surgery following the attack but has regained consciousness. The investigation continues as Russia claims the assailant fled to the UAE shortly after the attack.
Russia's Investigations Committee announced that they have identified three suspects linked to the shooting of high-profile military general, Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev. The shooters include a Russian citizen named Lyubomir Korba, who is suspected to have carried out the attack while allegedly acting on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence services. Authorities stated that Korba arrived in Moscow in late December for this alleged mission, which has been denied by Kyiv.General Alexeyev, 64, was attacked while in a residential block of flats in Moscow and was transported to the hospital following the incident. He has reportedly regained consciousness post-surgery, according to Russian media.According to Sveta Petrenko, a spokesperson for Russia's Investigations Committee, Korba fired three shots at the general before fleeing the scene and subsequently travelling to the United Arab Emirates. He has since been apprehended and extradited to Russia.The investigation revealed that the murder weapon, a Makarov pistol equipped with a silencer, was found at the scene. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andriy Sybiha, emphasized that Ukraine had no connection to the attack, portraying it as a possible internal Russian affair. Nonetheless, Russian officials have accused Ukraine of orchestrating the incident to sabotage ongoing peace talks.The implications of this shooting are significant, particularly as Lt Gen Alexeyev plays a vital role within Russia's military intelligence apparatus, being the second-in-command at the GRU. This case marks another instance of assaults on high-ranking military officials in the tumultuous context following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
