Russia Arrests Suspects in Attempted Assassination of GRU General Vladimir Alexv

Assassination Attempt on GRU General

• ⚠️ An assassination attempt targeted Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexv, Russia's first deputy chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).
• 📍 The gruesome attack occurred near a residential building at Vololo Kalamskoy Highway in Moscow, where Alexv was shot several times in the back outside his home.
• 🚨 Authorities are treating the incident as a deliberate targeted attack, with a criminal case initiated for attempted murder and illegal firearms circulation.

Russian FSB Investigations & Arrests

• 🕵️‍♂️ The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the arrest of two suspects: Lubamir Corba, the alleged gunman, and Victor Vison, an alleged accomplice.
• 🌍 Corba, a 65-year-old Russian citizen born in Western Ukraine, was detained in Dubai with the help of UAE authorities and extradited to Russia.
• 🔗 Investigators allege Corba acted on instructions from Ukraine's security services to carry out a "terrorist attack" in Moscow.
• 🎥 The FSB released video footage purportedly showing the alleged gunman fleeing the scene and discarding a silenced pistol.

Official Russian Response

• 💬 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned the incident as a "terrorist act" aimed at disrupting the negotiation process.
• accusing the "Zilinski regime" of engaging in provocations to undermine negotiations and convince Western sponsors to derail the process.

Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexv's Profile

• 🎖️ Alexv, 64, has served as first deputy head of the GRU since 2011, overseeing anti-terrorist operations in Syria.
• 🏆 He was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 2017, one of the country's highest distinctions.
• ⚖️ He was placed under European Union sanctions after the GRU was accused of involvement in the 2018 nerve agent attack in Salisbury, UK.
• 🤝 Alexv also played a role in the 2023 Wagner private military company mutiny, urging fighters to stand down and participating in negotiations.

Broader Context of Attacks

• ⚔️ Moscow has blamed Ukraine for past assassination plots targeting Russian officials and military commanders, with some Ukrainian military intelligence units claiming responsibility.
• 💀 Several other senior Russian officers have been assassinated since the start of the war in Ukraine, including Lieutenant General Fenil Sarvarov and General Igor Kirov.