Russia: Top Military Intelligence Official Shot & Wounded at Home

The shooting of Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, a deputy chief of Russia’s military intelligence agency, underscores mounting internal security pressure on Moscow’s wartime leadership, even as Russia pursues parallel diplomatic tracks with Ukraine. The attack adds to a growing list of targeted incidents against senior officers since late 2024, exposing vulnerabilities in elite protection at a moment when intelligence and command figures are central to prosecuting the war.

Targeted Strike on GRU

Russian investigators said an unidentified gunman fired several shots at Alexeyev inside his Moscow apartment building on Friday before fleeing. Alexeyev, 64, was rushed to hospital in serious condition. The Kommersant daily, citing law enforcement sources, said the attacker had been waiting as Alexeyev left for work and that the general suffered gunshot wounds to an arm, a leg, and his chest during a struggle.

Alexeyev serves as deputy head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff, commonly known as the GRU, placing him at the center of intelligence operations tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine, which began in 2022.

President Vladimir Putin has previously awarded Alexeyev the Hero of Russia honor.

The Kremlin said Putin had been briefed on the shooting and that security services were investigating. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “It is clear that military commanders and high-level specialists are at risk during wartime,” adding, “But it is not the Kremlin that should be deciding how to ensure their safety. This is a matter for the special services.”

Pattern of Senior Attacks

Since December 2024, three other officials of the same rank as Alexeyev have been killed in or near Moscow, highlighting a pattern of high-level targeting.

On December 22 last year, the head of the General Staff’s army training directorate was killed by a bomb placed under his car.

Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility for assassinating several senior Russian officers since the start of the war, though there was no immediate comment from Ukraine on Friday’s shooting.

Some pro-Kremlin commentators suggested, without evidence, that the attack was intended to disrupt ongoing talks with Ukraine. Alexeyev’s superior, Admiral Igor Kostyukov, who heads the GRU, has been leading Russia’s delegation in Abu Dhabi negotiations focused on security-related aspects of a potential peace arrangement. The latest round concluded on Thursday, with the Kremlin describing the discussions as constructive and saying talks would continue.

The trilateral talk produced an agreement among the United States, Russia, and Ukraine to exchange 314 prisoners, the first such arrangement in five months.

Public Questions Over Protection

The incident has fueled criticism inside Russia over security provisions for senior officials. Pro-Kremlin journalists and war bloggers questioned why figures of Alexeyev’s stature lacked visible protection. Beneath a state media article, a woman identified as Ludmila wrote: “How can this happen? Or is it only in films that we see that such people should have security guards? This is not the first time this has happened.”

A neighbor, Alessandra, said closed-circuit cameras in the building were functioning, countering unconfirmed claims that the attacker entered by posing as a food delivery courier. The Kremlin expressed hope that Alexeyev, who was born in Ukraine when it was part of the Soviet Union, would recover.

Wagner Ties and Wartime Roles

Alexeyev also managed relations between the Defense Ministry and the Wagner mercenary group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, which fought in some of the war’s fiercest early battles.

During Prigozhin’s brief mutiny in June 2023, Alexeyev was among the officials dispatched to negotiate. The standoff collapsed, and Prigozhin died in a plane crash two months later.

Together, these episodes trace a throughline from battlefield command to internal stability: senior intelligence figures now operate under heightened personal risk, even in Moscow, while the Kremlin balances operational security with diplomatic engagement abroad.