Brazen assassination attempt exposes growing internal insecurity within Russia’s intelligence elite amid ongoing global conflict.
Vladimir Alekseyev, a Lieutenant General and deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence apparatus, was shot early Friday inside his residential building in Moscow, according to official Russian sources.
The senior officer was struck multiple times at close range during an ambush and was rushed to a city hospital in an undisclosed condition. The attacker escaped immediately after the shooting, prompting a large-scale security operation across the area.
Russia’s Investigative Committee of Russia confirmed that a criminal case has been opened on suspicion of attempted murder. Investigators secured the scene, gathered forensic evidence, and reviewed nearby surveillance footage. Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko stated that all possible motives and suspects are under active examination.
Alekseyev has held one of the most influential intelligence positions in Russia since 2011, overseeing highly classified foreign operations and strategic military intelligence activities, including missions connected to the Ukraine conflict.
The incident marks another serious blow to the perception of internal security within Russia, adding to a growing list of attacks targeting senior military and government figures in recent years. While Moscow frequently attributes such incidents to foreign intelligence involvement, official responsibility for attacks deep inside Russian territory often remains deliberately ambiguous.
