Top Russian GRU General Shot Multiple Times in Moscow Residential Area

A high-ranking Russian military officer, Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev, the deputy head of Russia’s GRU military intelligence, has been shot multiple times and hospitalized in Moscow. The attack occurred on Friday morning in a residential block along Volokolamsk Highway in the north-western part of the city. His current condition remains unknown.

Emergency Response and Investigation
Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that a criminal case for attempted murder has been opened. The gunman fled the scene, and investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing witnesses.

A neighbor told Reuters that she was awakened by the sound of “several” gunshots, followed by screams for help. Other residents rushed to assist, but emergency services had already been contacted.

Alexeyev’s Role and Previous Targeting
Lt Gen Alexeyev has played a prominent role in Russia’s military operations, including participation in talks with Ukraine during the siege of Mariupol in 2022 and negotiations with Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin during the 2023 mutiny.

He was previously placed under EU and UK sanctions due to the GRU’s alleged involvement in the 2018 Salisbury nerve agent attack in the UK.

Pattern of Attacks on Russian Military Figures
The shooting is the latest in a string of attacks on senior Russian military officers since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Recent incidents include:

• Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov, killed in December 2025 by a car bomb in Moscow.
• Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, killed in January 2024 in an apartment block explosion; the attack was reportedly claimed by Ukraine’s SBU.

Russian officials have accused Ukraine of orchestrating the latest attack, though Kyiv has not commented. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the Kremlin confirmed that President Vladimir Putin has been briefed, with hopes expressed for Alexeyev’s recovery.

The incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities of high-profile military figures in Moscow amid escalating tensions and covert operations linked to the war in Ukraine.