Russian media reported that Lieutenant General Vladimir Stepanovich Alekseyev, Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Russian military, was the victim of an assassination attempt inside his own residence in Moscow this morning. He is in critical condition and receiving hospital treatment. Authorities have charged attempted murder and illegal firearm possession.
The incident took place on Volokolamskoye Street in Moscow when Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, first deputy head of the military intelligence unit (GRU), was shot at the entrance to his apartment. Initial reports suggested he died at the scene, but updated information indicates he was critically wounded and urgently hospitalized. Russia’s Investigative Committee (SKR) stated that the gunman fired multiple shots before fleeing. Preliminary evidence suggests the suspect may be a woman, and officials are reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing witnesses in the area.
Although not frequently seen in the media, within military circles he is well-known as “Stepanovich” and is an important figure in recent Russian history. He was a key player during the Wagner rebellion, having recorded a video urging the Wagner group to halt their “March of Justice” on 23 June 2023, and was the official who confronted Yevgeny Prigozhin at the command post in Rostov city to negotiate a peaceful resolution.
Alekseyev also played a crucial role in exposing massive corruption within the Russian Ministry of Defense, leading to a purge of “bureaucrat generals” who profited from military budgets. He previously led counterterrorism operations in Syria and was awarded the title “Hero of the Russian Federation” in 2017.
This assassination attempt occurred just one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared he would make the “end of the war” a hell for Russia and ensure Russia gains nothing from its invasion. This has led to speculation that the attack could be the work of special forces from the opposing side or an internal conflict triggered by Alekseyev’s crackdown on vested interests within the military.
Russian authorities have charged attempted murder and illegal firearm possession and have deployed forensic and security personnel to seal off the area and gather further evidence.
Previously, Ukraine claimed responsibility for attacks on key Russian military figures, while Russian intelligence officers claimed to have foiled an attempt to attack Russian soldiers in Saint Petersburg late last month.
Last month, a Russian court sentenced an Uzbek man to life imprisonment for murdering the head of the Russian military’s Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense unit in 2024. General Igor Kirillov was killed when a scooter exploded as he was leaving an apartment building in Moscow. Russia accused Ukraine of orchestrating the attack.