An assassination attempt has been made in Moscow against Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev, First Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU). The incident occurred this morning at a residential complex on the Volokolamsk Highway.
The attack was reported by Russia's Investigative Committee.
According to preliminary information, the gunman was lying in wait for the high-ranking military official in the entrance of his apartment building. The attacker, allegedly disguised as a food delivery courier, opened fire when the general left his apartment at approximately 7:00 a.m.
Alekseev sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the arm, leg, and chest. Reports indicate the general put up a fight and attempted to wrestle the weapon away, likely preventing the assailant from firing a finishing shot. The shooter fled the scene immediately after the attack.
"The victim has been hospitalized in a city medical facility," stated Svetlana Petrenko, official spokesperson for the Investigative Committee.
Alekseev is currently in intensive care in critical condition. One of the bullets reportedly struck vital organs, and doctors are fighting to save his life.
Residents of the elite housing complex have taken to group chats to complain about security lapses. They claim that despite paying monthly security fees, the surveillance cameras in the building's entrance were not functioning.
"The ambulance didn't leave for at least 15 minutes; they were working their magic on him right there," neighbors wrote in the building's chat group.
Vladimir Alekseev is known as a key handler of Russia's irregular armed formations. He personally negotiated with Yevgeny Prigozhin during the Wagner PMC mutiny in 2023 and later oversaw the creation of Redut, a private military company controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defense that absorbed some of the Wagner mercenaries. The general is also under EU and UK sanctions for his alleged involvement in the poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury.
The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into attempted murder and illegal weapons trafficking.