Russian authorities have announced the detention of a suspect allegedly responsible for the shooting of Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, first deputy chief of Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU). The Federal Security Service (FSB) identified the apprehended individual as Lyubomir Korba, a Russian citizen captured in Dubai and subsequently extradited to Moscow.
The incident occurred Friday when an assailant shot General Alekseyev multiple times at an apartment complex in northwestern Moscow. The 64-year-old intelligence veteran, decorated as a Hero of Russia for his role in Syria operations, was hospitalized following the attack.
FSB investigations have revealed two additional accomplices—one already detained in Moscow and another reportedly fled to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov characterized the assault as a apparent ‘terrorist act’ orchestrated by Ukraine to undermine ongoing peace negotiations.
This shooting follows a pattern of targeted attacks against Russian military leadership. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, multiple high-ranking officers have been assassinated, including Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov (killed by car bomb in December), Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik (car bomb assassination in April), and Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov (killed by explosive device in December 2024). Ukrainian intelligence has claimed responsibility for several of these operations.
The timing is particularly significant as the attack occurred immediately following peace talks in Abu Dhabi involving Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. negotiators. General Alekseyev’s superior, GRU chief Admiral Igor Kostyukov, led the Russian delegation in these discussions.
Kyiv has not responded to Russia’s latest allegations regarding General Alekseyev’s shooting. President Zelenskyy previously acknowledged Ukraine’s ‘liquidation’ of top Russian military figures without specifying individual operations.