Russian general shot and wounded in Moscow, in latest attack on top military leaders

A Russian Military Intelligence Deputy Shot and Wounded in Moscow

Officials in Russia reported that a general serving as deputy head of Russian military intelligence was shot and seriously injured in Moscow on Friday. This incident marks another attack targeting high-ranking military figures, according to Russian authorities.

Attack Details and Investigative Response

An unknown assailant fired multiple shots at Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev in a residential building on Volokolamskoye Highway, the Investigative Committee spokesperson stated. The shooter fled the scene, and investigators are now searching for the perpetrator. The committee has initiated a criminal case into the attempted murder of a senior defense ministry official.

“Our officers are at the scene, and investigators are searching for the shooter,” said the Russian Investigative Committee in its statement.

Sanctions and Accusations

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the Ukrainian government of orchestrating the attack, though he did not provide evidence to support his claim. Ukrainian authorities have remained silent on the incident. Alekseyev, 64, was transferred to a city hospital and is currently in intensive care, with Russian state media reporting he is in serious condition.

Alekseyev holds the position of first deputy head of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). He was previously sanctioned by the United States in 2016 for cyber activities aimed at undermining U.S. democratic processes. The European Union also imposed sanctions on him in January 2019, linking him to the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government attributed to GRU agents.

“He is responsible for the possession, transport and use in Salisbury… of the toxic nerve agent ‘Novichok’ by officers from the GRU,” stated the EU sanctions description, which also named sanctioned Russian military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov.

Involvement in Conflict Zones

Alekseyev has been actively involved in the war in Ukraine, including participating in secret negotiations with a Ukrainian parliament member to conclude the 2022 siege of Mariupol. A Ukrainian intelligence report alleges he was responsible for planning missile and air strikes on Ukrainian territory, targeting civilians, and organizing illegal referenda in occupied regions. Ukraine has also accused him of committing war crimes in Syria.

In 2023, Alekseyev was dispatched by the Russian military to mediate with Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner mercenary group, during the group’s mutiny. At the time, he labeled Prigozhin’s actions as a coup and referred to them as “a stab in the back of the country and the president.”

Kremlin Response

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted in a Friday press briefing that intelligence services were investigating the attack and would brief Russian President Vladimir Putin on their findings. He added: “We wish the general survival and recovery.”