An alleged contract killer was apprehended in Dubai after a failed assassination attempt on a high-ranking general closely associated with Vladimir Putin. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov referred to the shooting of Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev as a potential terrorist act orchestrated by Ukraine to disrupt peace negotiations, leaving the investigation in the hands of law enforcement agencies.
According to the business publication Kommersant, the assailant, disguised as a delivery personnel, shot the general twice in the stairwell of his residential building, causing injuries to his foot and arm. Alekseyev tried to disarm the gunman but was shot in the chest before the attacker fled the scene.
Alekseyev, born in Ukraine during the Soviet era, climbed the ranks to oversee Russian military intelligence operations in various regions, including Syria and Ukraine. He had been subject to sanctions by the U.S., U.K., and the European Union for alleged involvement in the 2016 U.S. election interference and the 2018 poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the nerve agent Novichok in Salisbury, England.
Having served as the first deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, GRU, since 2011, Alekseyev’s attack prompted President Putin to be notified by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who emphasized the need for enhanced security measures for senior military officials amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities have not officially commented on the incident.
Sergey Lavrov reiterated that the investigation into the shooting is the responsibility of law enforcement agencies, characterizing the attack as a calculated terrorist act by Ukraine to disrupt peace negotiations. The attack was reported to have been carried out by an individual posing as a delivery person, who shot the general twice in the stairwell of his apartment building, leading to injuries in his foot and arm. Alekseyev, a native of Ukraine during the Soviet period, steadily advanced in his career to oversee Russian military intelligence operations in various regions.
Subject to sanctions by the U.K. and the European Union for his alleged role in the 2018 poisoning in Salisbury, Alekseyev has been a prominent figure within the GRU since 2011. President Putin was briefed on the incident, prompting calls for heightened security for senior military officers in the conflict-stricken region. Ukrainian officials have refrained from offering any statements regarding the attack.