SUMMARY
- Russia says the suspect in the Alekseyev shooting Moscow was detained in Dubai and extradited.
- The attack targeted a senior GRU official amid a pattern of assassinations blamed on Ukraine.
- The shooting followed recent Russia/Ukraine/US talks, heightening diplomatic sensitivity.
Russian security officials said Sunday that a Russian citizen suspected in the Alekseyev shooting Moscow was detained in Dubai and transferred to Russia, days after a senior military intelligence official was wounded in an attack authorities described as terrorism linked to the war in Ukraine.
The Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, said the arrest and handover marked a rapid international security response to the shooting of Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev, the first deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence agency.
The Alekseyev shooting Moscow has intensified scrutiny of internal security as Russia alleges a campaign of targeted killings connected to the conflict in Ukraine.
According to Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko, Alekseyev was shot several times Friday at an apartment building in northwestern Moscow and hospitalized.
The FSB said the suspect, Lyubomir Korba, was detained in Dubai. Authorities also identified two alleged accomplices, one detained in Moscow and another who left for Ukraine.
Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukraine of orchestrating assassinations of senior officers since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine has acknowledged responsibility for some attacks but has not commented publicly on the Alekseyev shooting Moscow.
The incident occurred one day after Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators concluded two days of talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the nearly four year war. Russia’s delegation was led by Adm. Igor Kostyukov, Alekseyev’s superior at the GRU.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the shooting as an apparent “terrorist act” intended to disrupt negotiations, saying law enforcement agencies would pursue the case.
Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of R.Politik, said attacks on high-ranking officers carry symbolic weight because they signal vulnerabilities within Russia’s security establishment.
Pavel Luzin, a military analyst with the Jamestown Foundation, said the Alekseyev shooting Moscow underscores how the conflict has expanded beyond front lines into intelligence and counterintelligence domains.
Petrenko said investigators were examining motives and potential foreign involvement. FSB officials said the extradition reflected cooperation with Emirati authorities.
Kremlin linked analyst Sergei Markov said such cases complicate diplomatic efforts by reinforcing mutual accusations between Moscow and Kyiv.
Russian authorities are expected to pursue charges related to terrorism and illegal arms use. The case may feature in diplomatic exchanges as Russia presses claims of Ukrainian involvement while talks over the conflict continue intermittently.
The Alekseyev shooting Moscow adds to a series of high profile attacks that have reshaped Russia’s security posture during the Ukraine war.
As investigations proceed, the case highlights the broader risks facing senior officials and the enduring impact of the conflict on regional and international security.
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