- Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that a criminal case had been opened, describing the incident as an attempted murder
- He was rushed to hospital, but officials have not disclosed details about his condition
- the latest attack has heightened concerns within Russia’s security establishment over the safety of top military officials
Gunfire erupted early Friday in a Moscow residential area, leaving a senior Russian military intelligence officer seriously injured in what authorities are treating as an attempted assassination.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, a top official in Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, was shot multiple times inside a block of flats on the north-western edge of the capital.
EDITOR’S PICK
- ADC Requests INEC to Postpone FCT Area Council Elections
- Tope Alabi Welcomes Grandchild
- CBN to Introduce New Policy to Regulate Debit Card Issuance, ATM Operations
He was rushed to hospital, but officials have not disclosed details about his condition.
Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that a criminal case had been opened, describing the incident as an attempted murder.
According to spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko, the assailant escaped the scene, prompting investigators to review CCTV footage and question residents in the area.
A neighbour told Reuters she was awakened by the sound of several gunshots, followed by screams for help. She said residents rushed outside and offered assistance, but emergency services had already been contacted.
Alexeyev serves as the deputy head of the GRU, making him one of the most senior intelligence figures to be attacked in Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.
He has been under sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom following accusations that the GRU was linked to the 2018 Salisbury nerve-agent attack in the UK.
The general has been closely involved in key moments of the Ukraine war, including talks during the 2022 siege of Mariupol. He was also dispatched to negotiate with Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin during the brief mutiny that shook Russia in June 2023.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had been informed about the shooting. “Our first wish is that the general survives and recovers,” he told reporters.
Although no group has claimed responsibility, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pointed the finger at Ukraine. Kyiv has not responded to the allegation, though Ukrainian authorities have previously acknowledged involvement in some attacks on Russian military figures.
The shooting adds to a series of high-profile incidents targeting senior officers in Russia. In January, an Uzbek national was sentenced for the 2024 killing of General Igor Kirillov in a Moscow explosion, an attack later claimed by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service.
Another GRU officer, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, was killed in December 2025 when an explosive device detonated beneath his car in the capital.
As investigations continue, the latest attack has heightened concerns within Russia’s security establishment over the safety of top military officials even within Moscow.
FURTHER READING
- US Officially Withdraws From WHO
- FLASHBACK: In 2001, Obasanjo Signed Electoral Act With Alterations Into Law
- Augustine University Admits 400 Fresh Students at Historic 11th Matriculation Ceremony
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF THE WEEK
