A high-ranking official within Russia’s military intelligence was shot in his Moscow residence, marking the latest in a string of attacks that Russian authorities attribute to Ukraine. Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, the deputy head of the GRU—Russia’s military intelligence agency—fell victim to an unidentified assailant who fired multiple rounds before escaping, according to investigators.

Alexeyev, aged 64, plays a pivotal role in Russia’s military operations against Ukraine. His contributions have been acknowledged by President Vladimir Putin, who awarded him the prestigious Hero of Russia accolade. Following the attack, Alexeyev was rushed to the hospital and is currently reported to be in serious condition.

Alexeyev’s history is intertwined with geopolitical tensions. Born in Ukraine during its Soviet era, he found himself under U.S. sanctions for alleged Russian cyber interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Additionally, he was sanctioned by the European Union over involvement in the 2018 poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England.

Alexeyev, 64, whose work has been recognised by President Vladimir Putin with a Hero of Russia award, was reported to be in a serious condition in hospital.

Born in Ukraine when it was still part of the Soviet Union, Alexeyev was placed under US sanctions over Russian cyber interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The European Union imposed sanctions on him over the poisoning of former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury in 2018.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of being behind the assassination attempt, which he said — without citing evidence — was designed to sabotage peace talks.

Since the start of the war in 2022, Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility for assassinating several senior Russian officers, some of whom have appeared on a public list of Ukraine’s enemies.

Speaking to reporters, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine had nothing to do with this shooting: “We don’t know what happened with that particular general — maybe it was their own internal Russian in-fighting.”

The Kommersant daily, citing law enforcement sources, said Alexeyev’s attacker had been waiting when he left his apartment to go to work and that Alexeyev had sustained gunshot wounds to an arm, a leg and his chest during a struggle.

The Kremlin said it hoped Alexeyev would survive and recover. Putin has been briefed on the shooting and Russia’s intelligence services are investigating, it said.

Security questions raised

Some pro-Kremlin Russian journalists, war bloggers and members of the public asked why such important figures were not better protected.

“How can this happen? Or is it only in films that we see that such people should have security guards? This is not the first time this has happened,” a woman called Ludmila wrote beneath a state media article on the shooting.

A neighbour of Alexeyev, who gave her name as Alessandra, said CCTV in the apartment building had been working well after unconfirmed reports that the gunman had gained access by posing as a food delivery courier.

Since December 2024, three other officials of the same rank as Alexeyev have been killed in or near Moscow. The head of the General Staff’s army training directorate was killed by a bomb placed under his car in December last year.

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