According to The Associated Press, a high-ranking Russian military intelligence officer was shot in Moscow on Friday.
Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev suffered multiple gunshot wounds from an unknown assailant at an apartment complex and was subsequently taken to the hospital, stated Svetlana Petrenko, a representative for the Investigative Committee, as reported by the AP.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the incident and emphasized the need for enhanced security measures for top military officials amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
This photo, sourced from a video by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, shows Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev addressing troops at an undisclosed location on June 23, 2023. (Courtesy of the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
The AP cited the business publication Kommersant, which reported that the attacker disguised as a delivery agent and shot Alekseyev twice on the stairwell of his apartment building, injuring his foot and arm. As Alekseyev attempted to disarm the assailant, he was shot again in the chest before the attacker escaped, the report detailed.
Meanwhile, the administration of former President Donald Trump has been actively working to facilitate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
The warring nations agreed to a prisoner swap this week, according to readouts posted on X by U.S. special presidential envoy for peace missions Steve Witkoff and Ukraine’s national security and defense council minister Rustem Umerov.
Media representatives gather in front of a high-rise residential building, the scene of an assassination attempt on Russian Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev in Moscow on Feb. 6, 2026. (Hector RETAMAL / AFP via Getty Images)
“Over February 4 and 5, delegations from the United States, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation met for the second trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi to advance efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The discussions were constructive and focused on how to create the conditions for a durable peace,” the readouts state.
Police officers walk past a high-rise residential building, the scene of an assassination attempt on Russian Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev in Moscow on Feb. 6, 2026. (Hector RETAMAL / AFP via Getty Images)
