Russian authorities announced on Sunday that the individual suspected of shooting a deputy chief of Russia’s military intelligence agency in Moscow was apprehended in Dubai and extradited to Russia. They alleged that the perpetrator was acting on behalf of Ukraine.
Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev sustained multiple gunshot wounds on Friday by an attacker at an apartment complex in northwestern Moscow, according to Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko. This incident occurred in the wake of a series of high-ranking military officers’ assassinations that Russia has attributed to Ukraine.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) stated that a Russian national, Lyubomir Korba, was seized in Dubai on suspicion of carrying out the shooting. FSB further disclosed that two “accomplices” were identified, with one apprehended in Moscow and the other fleeing to Ukraine.
The Investigative Committee of Russia revealed on the Telegram messaging service that Korba arrived in Moscow in December with orders from Ukrainian intelligence services to execute a terrorist attack.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the incident as a possible “terrorist act” orchestrated by Ukraine to disrupt peace negotiations. This occurred following a round of talks in Abu Dhabi involving Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. negotiators aimed at resolving the longstanding conflict in Ukraine.
Alekseyev, aged 64, has been serving as the first deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, known as the GRU, since 2011. He was previously honored with the Hero of Russia medal for his contributions to Moscow’s military operations in Syria.
In a separate development, a lethal Russian airstrike in eastern Ukraine resulted in one fatality and two injuries. The attack in Kramatorsk caused a fire in a nine-story residential building. Additionally, Russia targeted energy infrastructure in Ukraine’s Poltava region, affecting operations at Naftogaz, the state-owned gas company.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy disclosed that the U.S. has set a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace agreement. Failure to meet this deadline could lead to increased pressure from the U.S. administration on both parties to expedite the peace process and end the ongoing conflict.