A senior Russian military intelligence official was wounded in a targeted shooting inside his Moscow residence on January 6, raising fresh questions about internal security and the reach of hostile actors inside Russia’s capital. Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, the deputy head of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate, was shot multiple times in what authorities are treating as a deliberate assassination attempt.

According to reports, the attacker used a suppressed Makarov PM pistol, a weapon commonly associated with close-range, covert operations. After the shooting, the suspect fled the scene and discarded the firearm, suggesting premeditation and an effort to minimize forensic tracing. Alekseyev survived the attack and was transported for medical treatment, though officials have released limited details about his condition.

Grainy CCTV footage circulating online shows a lone individual approaching the apartment building under cover of darkness, firing shots near the entrance, and escaping through snow-covered streets. The footage has fueled speculation that the attack was carefully planned and executed with intelligence-grade precision rather than being a spontaneous act of violence.

Russian authorities later confirmed that the alleged attacker was detained in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, highlighting international cooperation in tracking suspects linked to high-profile political violence. Investigators are examining possible accomplices and motives, including whether the attack is connected to broader geopolitical tensions or internal rivalries.

The attempted assassination of such a senior intelligence figure underscores growing concerns within Russia about urban security vulnerabilities and the ability of hostile operatives to strike high-value targets even in heavily monitored environments. The incident marks one of the most serious direct attacks on a top Russian intelligence official in recent years.