A high-ranking Russian general, Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev, has been shot several times in a Moscow attack. The 64-year-old general was taken to hospital after the incident and is believed to be in a serious condition. According to investigators, the attacker fled the scene, but Russian officials have quickly blamed Ukraine for the attack.
The shooting comes at a time when high-ranking military figures have been targeted in or near Moscow since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Lt Gen Alexeyev is number two in the main directorate of Russia's GRU military intelligence and has played a significant role during the war, taking part in talks with Ukrainian officials.
The latest attack on a senior Russian military officer marks a growing trend of targeted violence against high-ranking officers. In December 2025, another top official in the GRU was killed when an explosive device detonated under his car in Moscow.
Russian intelligence officials have also claimed they had thwarted an attempted attack on a Russian soldier in St Petersburg at the end of last month. Meanwhile, Ukraine has faced criticism for targeting Russian military personnel in recent months.
The victim's hospitalization and the ongoing investigation into the shooting are ongoing. The Kremlin spokesman confirmed that President Vladimir Putin was being briefed on the incident, while Ukrainian officials have thus far declined to comment on the attack.
The shooting comes at a time when high-ranking military figures have been targeted in or near Moscow since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Lt Gen Alexeyev is number two in the main directorate of Russia's GRU military intelligence and has played a significant role during the war, taking part in talks with Ukrainian officials.
The latest attack on a senior Russian military officer marks a growing trend of targeted violence against high-ranking officers. In December 2025, another top official in the GRU was killed when an explosive device detonated under his car in Moscow.
Russian intelligence officials have also claimed they had thwarted an attempted attack on a Russian soldier in St Petersburg at the end of last month. Meanwhile, Ukraine has faced criticism for targeting Russian military personnel in recent months.
The victim's hospitalization and the ongoing investigation into the shooting are ongoing. The Kremlin spokesman confirmed that President Vladimir Putin was being briefed on the incident, while Ukrainian officials have thus far declined to comment on the attack.
Russia's war with Ukraine has been dragging on for months now and it's only a matter of time before things escalate further. targeting military personnel like this is just going to keep happening until someone gets fed up and takes drastic action 
i'm not sure if it's good or bad that the Kremlin spokesman confirmed Putin was being briefed, but you can bet your bottom dollar he'll be looking for revenge 
Ukraine needs to show some restraint on their side of things too - they don't want this kind of thing happening in response...
russian intel ppl r losin their lives left & right - first top officer in GRU just got attacked n now Lt Gen Alexeyev 
maybe its time 4 both sides 2 stop all dis targeted violence n focus on findin a peaceful solution? 
i'm not surprised anymore with all the high ranking military ppl getting targeted in moscow it's like they're trying to send a message 
but honestly who knows what's gonna happen next? 
so lets focus on that & not get dragged into politics again 
btw did u see those new smart glasses that just dropped? 
they're like, totally mind blown 
This is getting really concerning, you know? First, it was just some low-level grunts, but now they're going after high-ranking officers like this... Lt Gen Alexeyev's role in talks with Ukraine makes sense for someone to want him out of the way, I guess. 
But still, a 64-year-old man gets shot multiple times and taken to hospital? It's just not right.
Anyway, I hope the investigation turns up some real answers and Lt Gen Alexeyev recovers soon. 