Assassination Plot Foiled by Security Services
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has announced the arrest of a man accused of attempting to assassinate Vladimir Alexeyev, a deputy chief of the GRU military intelligence agency. The suspect, a Russian citizen named Lyubomir Kobra, was reportedly detained in the United Arab Emirates and subsequently handed over to Russian authorities. According to Russia's Investigative Committee, Kobra was originally born in Ukraine's Ternopil region. He is said to have entered the Russian Federation in December 2025.
The attack on Vladimir Alexeyev occurred on February 6 at a residential building on Volokolamskoye Highway, where an unidentified assailant shot the general multiple times before fleeing. A Makarov pistol fitted with a silencer was found at the scene. The general was hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
Accomplices Detained and Identified
In a related development, an alleged accomplice of Kobra, 66-year-old Viktor Vasin, has been detained in Moscow and charged under two articles of the Russian Criminal Code. Another person of interest, 54-year-old Zinaida Serebritskaya, is believed to have traveled to Ukraine. She had lived in the same residential complex as Alexeyev. Social media records suggest Serebritskaya had been residing in Moscow since at least 2023.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the overall situation as complex. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, at least 18 Russian generals have been killed, though Russian authorities have officially confirmed only 11 of these losses.
This incident underscores the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine and highlights potential threats to Russia's senior military command during the ongoing war.
The arrests of Lyubomir Kobra and his associates may point to heightened activity by Ukrainian special services or to internal conflicts within Russia's own security apparatus. The events surrounding the attack on General Alexeyev bring renewed focus to the challenges of protecting high-ranking officials in Russia during a time of conflict. This case is unfolding against the backdrop of a protracted war that has seen numerous attacks on military and political figures.