In brief
Following the shooting of high-profile Russian military leader Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev, authorities have named three suspects involved. Among them is alleged gunman Lyubomir Korba, who is said to have links to Ukrainian intelligence—a claim Kyiv denies. Amidst rising violence against military figures in Moscow, this incident underscores deepening geopolitical tensions.
Russia says it has identified three suspects involved in the shooting of high-profile military general Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev.
They include the man said to have carried out the attack, who has been named as Russian citizen Lyubomir Korba.
Russia's Investigations Committee (SK) claimed Korba arrived in Moscow in late December on assignment from Ukrainian intelligence services to commit a terrorist attack, although Kyiv has reportedly denied any involvement.
Alexeyev, 64, was hospitalized following the attack in a residential area of Moscow. Reports indicate he has regained consciousness after surgery.
Alexeyev is the deputy chief of the main directorate of Russia's GRU military intelligence and is the latest high-ranking military figure to be targeted in Moscow amidst ongoing conflicts since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
According to spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko, the attacker fired three shots before fleeing the scene, later traveling to the UAE. Korba has since been arrested and extradited.
Russian state media released footage of security officials escorting Korba off a plane and indicated that a Makarov pistol and ammunition were found at the scene of the crime.
The situation remains murky as Ukrainian officials maintain that they had no part in the shooting, suggesting it could be a result of internal Russian conflicts, while Russian officials accuse Ukraine of attempting to disrupt peace negotiations between the countries.
Other suspects include Viktor Vasin, arrested and charged in Moscow, and a woman named Zinaida Serebritskaya, who is believed to have fled to Ukraine.
