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In recent days, a new phase of the Russia–Ukraine conflict has been marked by a serious and targeted assassination attempt against General Vladimir Alekseyev, First Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff. The attack, which quickly gained global media attention, took place on February 6, 2026, when an unidentified gunman opened fire inside a residential building in the northwestern suburbs of Moscow. The 64-year-old general—decorated by President Vladimir Putin with the title “Hero of Russia”—was rushed to hospital and remains in critical condition.
The incident immediately drew comparisons to a series of previous targeted killings of senior Russian officers since the start of the war in 2022. General Yaroslav Moskalik was killed in April 2025 by a car bomb. Major General Mikhail Yevgenyevich Gudkov died in July after a missile strike. Igor Kirillov was assassinated in December 2024 by a roadside bomb outside his apartment. From the first moments, the pattern suggested continuity with what Moscow describes as Kyiv-linked targeted operations.
Since 2022, Ukraine has officially acknowledged responsibility for the assassination of several high-ranking Russian officers, some of whom were publicly listed as enemies of Ukraine. In this context, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov directly accused Ukraine of involvement in the Alekseyev attack. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told Western media outlets, “We do not know what happened to that particular general—perhaps this was an internal Russian conflict, and Ukraine has nothing to do with the shooting.”
Shortly after the incident, international agencies reported the arrest of the alleged primary perpetrator in Dubai. Citing statements from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), reports indicated that Lyubomir Korba, a Russian citizen accused of directly carrying out the attack, was detained in Dubai and transferred to Russian authorities. Moscow maintains that the operation was designed and directed by Ukrainian special services. According to the same statements, accomplices have been identified: Viktor Vasin was arrested in Moscow, while Zinaida Serebrytskaya reportedly fled to Ukraine.
Viewed from a broader perspective, the assassination attempt against a senior intelligence commander is not merely a military act; it carries a strategic message aimed at influencing the trajectory of ongoing peace negotiations. It represents a vivid example of the entanglement between the battlefield and diplomacy. From Moscow’s standpoint, such actions demonstrate Kyiv’s lack of commitment to the peace process and reflect a consistent pattern of disruptive measures designed to complicate negotiations with Russia.
The Kremlin’s decision to publicly highlight the incident serves as both a political and intelligence signal directed not only at Kyiv but also at its Western backers. Within the Russian narrative framework, the targeting of officials is part of a broader hybrid war against Russia. By publicizing the details, Moscow seeks to remind Western governments that continued support for Ukraine carries political and security consequences. The message is clear: Ukraine is not serious about achieving peace, and backing Kyiv entails costs that extend beyond the battlefield.
The planning and execution of this operation indicate that intelligence-driven targeted assassinations have become an active instrument of crisis management and strategic pressure for Ukraine. This is not portrayed as an isolated act but as part of a broader pattern of complex intelligence operations intended to produce political leverage within the context of hybrid warfare. It is therefore unsurprising that much of the media coverage has focused less on the tactical details and more on the political and strategic implications of the event.
The timing is particularly significant. Occurring alongside peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi, the incident inevitably feeds into competing narratives. For Moscow, it reinforces claims that Kyiv is using covert action to rebalance its position after the strategic setbacks that followed decisions made after 2022. For Ukraine and its supporters, alternative explanations are advanced to avoid attribution and maintain diplomatic space.
Events of this kind quickly migrate from the battlefield into the realm of narrative warfare, where they are repurposed by political actors to strengthen diplomatic positions. The attempted assassination of General Alekseyev, coinciding with the Abu Dhabi talks, is a prime example of how field incidents are transformed into instruments of political messaging—where diplomacy and covert operations operate in parallel rather than in sequence.
Translated by Ashraf Hemmati from the original Persian article written by Navid Daneshvar
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-military-official-hospitalised-after-being-shot-agencies-report-2026-02-06
https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/698847429a79471117e989e0
https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8419225
https://tass.com/politics/2083029
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-general-gru-shooting-assassination-attempt/33671131.html
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