A senior Russian military officer, Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, was shot in Moscow on Friday and was promptly hospitalized. This information was relayed by government media citing investigative agencies. Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev serves as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Defense Ministry, essentially the Deputy Defense Minister. The attack occurred at a time when in recent months several senior Russian military officials have been assassinated, with Russia holding Ukraine responsible.
Shots Fired Inside Apartment Building
Investigation Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko stated that an unknown assailant fired multiple shots at Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev inside an apartment building in northwestern Moscow. He has been admitted to the hospital in an injured state. Petrenko did not disclose who might be behind this attack. Vladimir Alekseyev has been serving as the First Deputy Head of Russia’s military intelligence agency since 2011.
Several Russian Military Officers Killed Post-Ukraine War
In June 2023, when the head of Russian mercenaries Yevgeny Prigozhin staged a brief rebellion, Vladimir Alekseyev was among the top officials sent to negotiate with him.
Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, several senior Russian military officers have been assassinated. Moscow has been blaming Kyiv for these attacks. In some cases, Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility for these attacks.
Recently deceased officers include Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, Chief of the Army Training Directorate of the General Staff. He was killed by a bomb explosion placed under his car on December 22.
