Russian authorities have identified three suspects linked to the shooting of Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, a senior figure in Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. The attack occurred on Friday at a residential apartment complex on the north-western outskirts of Moscow, where the 64-year-old officer was shot several times and rushed to hospital.
Okay News reports that Russia’s Investigative Committee said the alleged gunman, Lyubomir Korba, a Ukrainian-born Russian citizen, carried out the attack on what it described as an assignment from Ukrainian intelligence services. Investigators said Korba fled to the United Arab Emirates hours after the shooting but was later arrested, extradited to Russia, and taken into custody, with footage aired on state television showing his arrival under heavy security.
Officials said Alexeyev, who is deputy head of the GRU, has since regained consciousness following surgery. Investigators recovered a Makarov pistol fitted with a silencer at the scene, along with ammunition, while forensic examinations are ongoing. Russian authorities also named Viktor Vasin as an accomplice already arrested in Moscow, and said a woman, Zinaida Serebritskaya, believed to be involved, has fled to Ukraine.
Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack, with its foreign minister describing the incident as an internal Russian matter. The shooting adds to a series of recent attacks on senior Russian military figures since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, heightening tensions as Moscow and Kyiv continue to trade accusations amid fragile diplomatic efforts.
