Russian Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev shot and wounded in Moscow apartment building, investigators say
A senior Russian general was shot and injured inside a Moscow apartment building, officials said, in the latest apparent assassination attempt targeting the country’s military leadership.
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Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement that “an unidentified individual fired several shots” at Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev before fleeing the scene. “The victim has been hospitalised,” the agency added, without providing details about his condition, the weapon used or a possible motive. No arrests were immediately announced.
Alekseyev is the first deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, according to his official biography—one of the most senior positions in the military hierarchy. A career officer, he oversaw intelligence operations during Russia’s intervention in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad. In 2023, he was dispatched to engage Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin amid the mercenary leader’s short-lived mutiny against the Defense Ministry’s top brass.
“Investigative actions and operational search measures are being carried out to identify the person or persons involved in committing the aforementioned crime,” Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said. The agency released no information about a suspected perpetrator or any potential security camera footage from the apartment block.
The shooting of Alekseyev adds to a string of high-profile attacks and plots against Russian officials since the start of the war in Ukraine, several of which have targeted figures connected to the military and security services. Ukraine has claimed responsibility for some of the killings, though there was no immediate claim in this case.
Last month, a Russian court sentenced an Uzbek man to life in prison over the 2024 killing of Gen. Igor Kirillov, who headed the army’s radiological, chemical and biological defense forces. Kirillov was killed when a scooter exploded as he exited a Moscow apartment block—an operation Ukraine said it had orchestrated.
While authorities characterized Wednesday’s incident as a criminal probe, the attack on Alekseyev is likely to intensify attention on the personal security of senior military leaders in the capital. The Investigative Committee did not say whether additional protective measures had been ordered for top commanders or whether the shooting appeared to involve accomplices.
Alekseyev’s prominence, long service and portfolio—spanning strategic operations, intelligence and crisis negotiation—have made him a central player within Russia’s military establishment during a period of acute strain and upheaval. His direct involvement in defusing the Wagner mutiny placed him at the nexus of the Kremlin’s efforts to reassert control over irregular forces and to stabilize command cohesion after one of the most serious internal challenges to President Vladimir Putin’s rule.
Investigators appealed for patience as they worked the scene and collected evidence. The agency said it would provide additional information as the probe progresses.
There was no immediate comment from the Defense Ministry. The Kremlin has not yet addressed the attack.
The Investigative Committee urged anyone with information related to the shooting to come forward, as forensic specialists and detectives continued to canvass the apartment building and surrounding area for clues.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
