Russian GRU General Shot in Moscow Apartment Attack

High-Ranking Russian Intelligence Officer Targeted in Moscow Shooting

In a brazen attack that has sent shockwaves through Russia's security establishment, Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, the first deputy chief of Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU), was shot multiple times in a Moscow apartment building on February 6, 2026. The 64-year-old general, who has served as a top GRU official since 2011, was ambushed in the stairwell of his residential building in northwest Moscow by an assailant posing as a delivery person.

Details of the Attack

According to multiple reports, the attack occurred in the morning hours when Alekseyev was approached by a shooter who opened fire at close range. 'The general was shot in the foot and arm initially, and during a struggle where he attempted to wrestle the gun away, he was shot again in the chest,' a security source told international media. The assailant fled the scene immediately after the shooting, and Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation for attempted murder.

Alekseyev was rushed to a Moscow hospital where he remains in critical condition in intensive care. The Russian Foreign Ministry has described the incident as a 'terrorist act' and pointed fingers at Ukraine, though Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pattern of Attacks on Russian Military Leadership

This incident represents the latest in a series of attacks targeting senior Russian military officers since the beginning of Russia's war in Ukraine in 2022. Just two months earlier, in December 2025, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov was killed when his car exploded in Moscow. In April 2025, Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik was assassinated, and in December 2024, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov died in another bombing.

'This is clearly part of a coordinated campaign against Russian military leadership,' said security analyst Mikhail Petrov. 'The timing is particularly significant as it comes just one day after Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. negotiators concluded peace talks in Abu Dhabi.'

Alekseyev's Controversial Career

Vladimir Alekseyev is no ordinary military officer. As deputy chief of the GRU - Russia's largest foreign intelligence agency responsible for clandestine operations worldwide - he has been at the center of some of Russia's most controversial military operations. The European Union and United Kingdom have sanctioned him for his alleged role in orchestrating the 2018 Salisbury nerve agent attack that targeted former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and resulted in the death of Dawn Sturgess.

During Russia's war in Ukraine, Alekseyev played a key role in negotiations during the siege of Mariupol and was dispatched to deal with Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin during the mercenary group's 2023 mutiny against the Russian military leadership. He also led intelligence operations during Russia's intervention in Syria.

Security Implications and Reactions

The attack has raised serious questions about security for Russia's military elite. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the shooting. 'The president is receiving regular updates on the general's condition and the investigation,' Peskov stated.

Security experts note that the attack demonstrates vulnerabilities in Moscow's security apparatus. 'For a top GRU official to be attacked in his own apartment building in the capital shows that no one is truly safe,' commented former intelligence officer turned analyst Anna Ivanova.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accusing Ukraine of attempting to derail recent peace negotiations through such attacks. However, Ukrainian officials have maintained silence on the incident, neither confirming nor denying involvement.

Sources

DW: Russian General Shot in Moscow

BBC: Russian GRU Deputy Chief Shot in Moscow

New York Post: Top Russian General Shot Multiple Times

Reuters: Russian Military Official Hospitalized After Shooting