Russia has announced that it has identified three suspects involved in the shooting of high-profile military figure Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev, marking a significant incident amidst ongoing tensions with Ukraine.
The primary suspect, Ukrainian-born Russian citizen Lyubomir Korba, is accused of executing the attack. Korba reportedly arrived in Moscow in December as part of a covert mission from Ukrainian intelligence services, a claim Kyiv has denied.
The shooting occurred on Friday at a residential block in the northwestern outskirts of Moscow. Gen Alexeyev, aged 64, was hospitalized following the attack but has regained consciousness after surgery, according to Russian media reports.
Officials from the Investigative Committee revealed that Korba allegedly fired three shots before escaping, subsequently making his way to the United Arab Emirates. He has since been apprehended and extradited back to Russia.
In a statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for assistance in locating Korba. The investigation uncovered a Makarov pistol believed to be the murder weapon, which is currently undergoing forensic analysis.
Spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko stated that Korba had at least one accomplice identified as Viktor Vasin, who has been arrested in Moscow, along with another individual named Zinaida Serebritskaya, who has fled to Ukraine.
The incident marks the latest targeting of military officials in Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. This shooting, alongside previous assassination attempts, has intensified concerns over security and intelligence operations in the region.
As the situation develops, both Russia and Ukraine continue to hurl accusations regarding the responsibility of the attack, complicating the narrative amidst ongoing conflict and diplomatic tensions.
