Russia’s Putin being briefed on top general’s assassination attempt, Kremlin says
The Kremlin has just said that special services are looking into the attempted assassination reported this morning, and Russia’s president Vladimir Putin is being briefed on the incident, Reuters reported.
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Alekseyev’s shooting will be seen as the latest failure of Russia’s security services to protect key military personnel deep inside Russia.
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While details of who carried out the attack and how it was organised remain unclear, Russian military bloggers have criticised apparent security lapses, questioning how a gunman was able to enter the apartment building undetected.
\n When Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, another prominent military official, was killed in December 2024 after an explosive device planted in a scooter detonated as he left his home in Moscow, Vladimir Putin described the killing as a “gravest failure” of Russia’s law enforcement agencies.
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The Kremlin has just said that special services are looking into the attempted assassination reported this morning, and Russia’s president Vladimir Putin is being briefed on the incident, Reuters reported.
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Russian affairs reporter
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The timing of the shooting is striking. It came a day after Russian and Ukrainian delegations – including Alekseyev’s direct superior, Igor Kostyukov – met in Abu Dhabi, where both sides spoke of apparent progress in the peace talks.
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Some in Moscow swiftly blamed Ukraine, alleging without evidence that Kyiv was attempting to derail the talks.
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“An attempt on Alekseyev’s life is the best way to derail these talks, and the only person who stands to benefit in this situation is Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” said Alexei Zhuravlev, a Russian parliamentarian.
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He called for those involved to be eliminated, describing Alekseyev as “one of the most authoritative and respected generals in the Russian army.”
Previous peace efforts have broken down over Russia’s maximalist territorial demands on Ukraine, with Moscow repeatedly rejecting Kyiv’s calls for an immediate ceasefire.
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Russian affairs reporter
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Alekseyev is a deputy director of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. He has been widely described as a key figure overseeing the country’s private military companies and was among the senior officials dispatched to negotiate with Yevgeny Prigozhin during the Wagner group’s brief mutiny in the summer of 2023.
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He is also under US sanctions for his alleged involvement in efforts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
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No party has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion in Moscow is likely to fall on Kyiv. Ukrainian intelligence agencies have targeted dozens of Russian military officers and Russian-installed officials since the start of the war, accusing them of involvement in war crimes.
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Little is publicly known about the clandestine networks believed to be behind assassinations and attacks on military infrastructure inside Russia and in Russian-controlled territories.
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We are opening today’s live blog with breaking news coming to us from Moscow that a deputy chief of Russian military intelligence was shot and wounded Friday, officials said, in comments reported by AP.
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Lt Gen Vladimir Alekseyev was shot several times by an unidentified assailant in Moscow, Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said in a statement.
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She said that Alekseyev was hospitalised. Petrenko didn’t say who could be behind the attack Alekseyev has served as the first deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence since 2011.
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AFP noted that several high-ranking military officials have been killed since Moscow launched its full-scale offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.
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I will bring you more when we have it.
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It’s Friday, 6 February 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
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Good morning.
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Key events
Jakub Krupa
I will bring you more from Russia when we have it, but in the meantime…
First pictures from the scene of the attempted assassination of Russian general
Alekseyev’s shooting will be seen as failure to protect key military personnel – snap analysis
Pjotr Sauer
Russian affairs reporter
Alekseyev’s shooting will be seen as the latest failure of Russia’s security services to protect key military personnel deep inside Russia.
While details of who carried out the attack and how it was organised remain unclear, Russian military bloggers have criticised apparent security lapses, questioning how a gunman was able to enter the apartment building undetected.
When Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, another prominent military official, was killed in December 2024 after an explosive device planted in a scooter detonated as he left his home in Moscow, Vladimir Putin described the killing as a “gravest failure” of Russia’s law enforcement agencies.
Russia’s Putin being briefed on top general’s assassination attempt, Kremlin says
The Kremlin has just said that special services are looking into the attempted assassination reported this morning, and Russia’s president Vladimir Putin is being briefed on the incident, Reuters reported.
‘Striking’ timing of the shooting prompts Russia to blame Ukraine – snap analysis
Pjotr Sauer
Russian affairs reporter
The timing of the shooting is striking. It came a day after Russian and Ukrainian delegations – including Alekseyev’s direct superior, Igor Kostyukov – met in Abu Dhabi, where both sides spoke of apparent progress in the peace talks.
Some in Moscow swiftly blamed Ukraine, alleging without evidence that Kyiv was attempting to derail the talks.
“An attempt on Alekseyev’s life is the best way to derail these talks, and the only person who stands to benefit in this situation is Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” said Alexei Zhuravlev, a Russian parliamentarian.
He called for those involved to be eliminated, describing Alekseyev as “one of the most authoritative and respected generals in the Russian army.”
Previous peace efforts have broken down over Russia’s maximalist territorial demands on Ukraine, with Moscow repeatedly rejecting Kyiv’s calls for an immediate ceasefire.
Russian news agency Interfax is reporting that the investigators are currently looking at CCTV recordings from the crime scene and interrogating eyewitnesses, with early reports that the attacker fired “several shots” at Alekseyev.
Moscow’s suspicions are likely to fall on Kyiv as attack on military chief investigated – snap analysis
Pjotr Sauer
Russian affairs reporter
Alekseyev is a deputy director of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. He has been widely described as a key figure overseeing the country’s private military companies and was among the senior officials dispatched to negotiate with Yevgeny Prigozhin during the Wagner group’s brief mutiny in the summer of 2023.
He is also under US sanctions for his alleged involvement in efforts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
No party has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion in Moscow is likely to fall on Kyiv. Ukrainian intelligence agencies have targeted dozens of Russian military officers and Russian-installed officials since the start of the war, accusing them of involvement in war crimes.
Little is publicly known about the clandestine networks believed to be behind assassinations and attacks on military infrastructure inside Russia and in Russian-controlled territories.
Morning opening: Deputy chief of Russian military intelligence shot
Jakub Krupa
We are opening today’s live blog with breaking news coming to us from Moscow that a deputy chief of Russian military intelligence was shot and wounded Friday, officials said, in comments reported by AP.
Lt Gen Vladimir Alekseyev was shot several times by an unidentified assailant in Moscow, Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said in a statement.
She said that Alekseyev was hospitalised. Petrenko didn’t say who could be behind the attack Alekseyev has served as the first deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence since 2011.
AFP noted that several high-ranking military officials have been killed since Moscow launched its full-scale offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.
I will bring you more when we have it.
It’s Friday, 6 February 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
