In brief
Russia has named three suspects linked to the shooting of high-ranking military official Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev. Alleged gunman Lyubomir Korba, who recently arrived in Moscow, is accused of carrying out the attack on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence services, although Kyiv denies involvement. Following the incident, Alexeyev was hospitalized but has recovered consciousness.
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. According to Russia's Investigations Committee (SK), Korba arrived in Moscow in late December on assignment from Ukrainian intelligence services to perpetrate a terrorist act, a claim that Kyiv has denied.Alexeyev, aged 64, was shot in a residential area of Moscow last Friday and was subsequently taken to the hospital after undergoing surgery; reports suggest he has since regained consciousness.Alexeyev is the deputy head of Russia’s GRU military intelligence and is among high-ranking officials targeted near the city since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022. SK spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko stated that Korba had fired three shots before fleeing, later traveling to the UAE hours after the attack, from where he was later extradited.Russian state media broadcast footage showing security agents detaining Korba upon his arrival. Investigators confirmed the recovery of the murder weapon, a Makarov pistol equipped with a silencer, and forensic tests are currently underway. Despite allegations against Ukraine, officials from Kyiv claim that the shooting is an internal issue within Russia.The situation escalates further with accusations from Russian officials suggesting Kyiv's involvement in the attack, which they claim disrupts ongoing negotiations about the ongoing conflict.In recent months, the targeting of military figures in Moscow has increased, heightening concerns regarding internal security and the political ramifications of such violence as the war with Ukraine continues.
