Additional Coverage:
High-Ranking Russian Defense Official Injured in Moscow Ambush
Moscow, Russia – Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, a prominent figure within the Russian Defense Ministry, was shot and injured Friday in an ambush-style attack in a residential district of Moscow. The incident was confirmed by the Investigative Committee of Russia and state-affiliated media outlets.
According to Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the Investigative Committee, an unidentified individual fired multiple shots at a man on February 6, 2026, in a residential building located on Volokolamskoye Highway before fleeing the scene. The victim was subsequently transported to a local hospital, though the extent of his injuries has not yet been disclosed.
State news agency TASS identified the victim as Lt. Gen.
Alexeyev and reported that a criminal investigation has been initiated. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed the incident, stating, “Special services are currently doing their job.
Of course, this has been reported to the head of state. We wish the general a speedy recovery.”
In the aftermath of the shooting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested, without providing evidence, that Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might be responsible. Lavrov speculated that the attack could be an attempt by Ukraine to disrupt ongoing negotiations between Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow. He asserted that “the [Ukrainian] regime is ready to do anything to convince its Western sponsors not to lag behind the United States in their desire to derail the process of achieving a just settlement.”