Vladimir Alexeyev: Three suspects in shooting of Russian general named

Russia has announced the identification of three individuals implicated in the brazen assassination attempt on Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, a prominent figure within the country’s military intelligence apparatus. The alleged gunman, identified as Lyubomir Korba, a Russian citizen of Ukrainian origin, is central to the investigation, according to statements released by Russia’s Investigative Committee (SK). The SK claims Korba arrived in Moscow in late December, acting on directives from Ukrainian intelligence services to perpetrate a terrorist act. These allegations have been vehemently denied by Kyiv, which has reportedly distanced itself from any involvement in the shooting.

Lieutenant General Alexeyev, aged 64, was critically injured in the attack, which occurred on Friday at a residential building situated in the northwestern outskirts of Moscow. He was immediately transported to a hospital and, following surgery, has reportedly regained consciousness, according to Russian media outlets. Alexeyev holds the significant position of deputy chief in the main directorate of Russia’s GRU military intelligence. His targeting marks the latest in a series of attacks against high-ranking Russian military officials in or near the capital since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine commenced in February 2022, signaling a potentially escalating shadow conflict.

Svetlana Petrenko, a spokeswoman for the SK, stated on Sunday that the assailant fired three shots before making his escape. Crucially, Korba reportedly fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) mere hours after the incident. Russian authorities, with the cooperation of the UAE, have since apprehended Korba and secured his extradition. State television channel Ru-24 broadcast footage depicting security agents escorting a man, identified as Korba, off an aircraft at an undisclosed location, underscoring the international dimension of the operation to bring him into custody.

During a thorough inspection of the crime scene, investigators discovered the weapon believed to have been used in the attack: a Makarov pistol equipped with a silencer, along with three rounds of ammunition. Forensic examinations are currently underway to confirm the weapon’s link to the shooting. The swift action and successful extradition of Korba have garnered official acknowledgment from the highest levels of the Russian government. Russian media, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, reported that President Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday for his country’s crucial assistance in apprehending Korba. This exchange highlights the complex geopolitical relationships at play in the aftermath of such incidents.

The Ukrainian response to the allegations has been firm. Quoted by Reuters, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated on Friday that Kyiv had no connection to the shooting, suggesting that the incident was an internal Russian matter. This stance was echoed by his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, who accused Kyiv of orchestrating the attack as a tactic to disrupt ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict between the two nations. The timing of the attack is particularly noteworthy, as Alexeyev’s superior, GRU head Admiral Igor Kostyukov, has been leading the Russian delegation in recent trilateral talks with Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. This suggests a potential motive to destabilize diplomatic efforts.

Beyond Korba, the SK has identified at least one accomplice. Viktor Vasin has been arrested in Moscow and formally charged in connection with the shooting. Furthermore, a woman named Zinaida Serebritskaya is also believed to be involved, although her precise role and current whereabouts, with reports indicating she may have left for Ukraine, remain less clear. Petrenko did not provide specific details regarding Serebritskaya’s alleged involvement.

This incident is not an isolated event, as Ukraine has previously claimed responsibility for attacks targeting Russian military figures. Russian intelligence officials have reported thwarting an attempted attack on a Russian soldier in St. Petersburg at the end of the previous month, suggesting a pattern of covert operations. In a separate case earlier this year, an Uzbek man was convicted and jailed in January for the 2024 killing of another general, Igor Kirillov, who died in an explosion outside a residential building in Moscow. Sources within Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service indicated at the time that they were behind that attack. Lieutenant General Kirillov had been in charge of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection troops, a sensitive and strategic command.

Adding to the grim tally of targeted assassinations, in December 2025, another high-ranking officer within the GRU, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, was killed when an explosive device detonated beneath his car in Moscow. According to Russia’s SK, he held the crucial position of overseeing the armed forces’ operational training department. These repeated incidents underscore a persistent and potentially escalating campaign of targeted violence against key figures in Russia’s military and intelligence structures, with Ukraine frequently implicated or claiming responsibility. The shooting of Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev further intensifies these concerns and highlights the complex and dangerous nature of the ongoing conflict, extending beyond conventional battlefield engagements into the realm of clandestine operations and targeted assassinations. The investigation into the Alexeyev shooting, particularly the apprehension and extradition of Korba, demonstrates a significant intelligence and law enforcement effort, with implications for international cooperation and diplomatic relations.