Russia's security lapses under scrutiny after general's shooting

Global Watch | 2026-02-11

In a brazen attack on February 6, 2026, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, was shot three times in the stairwell of his Moscow apartment building.

The assailant used a silenced Makarov pistol, leaving Alexeyev in critical condition after emergency surgery. Russian authorities quickly named three suspects: Lyubomir Korba, a Ukrainian-born Russian citizen accused of being the gunman; Viktor Vasin, detained in Moscow; and Zinaida Serebritskaya, who allegedly fled to Ukraine.

The FSB claims Ukrainian intelligence orchestrated the hit, but experts suggest this narrative masks deeper internal security breakdowns.

This incident is not unique.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine escalated in 2022, a pattern of targeted attacks on high-ranking officials has emerged, often overlooked in mainstream coverage.

In December 2024, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia's radiological, chemical and biological defense troops, was killed in a bombing in Moscow.

Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, chief of the Operational Training Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, also faced a similar fate in a car bombing in December 2025.

Pattern of attacks

These cases highlight a troubling trend: assassins operating freely in the heart of Russia, exploiting gaps in protection for elite figures.

Analysts have pointed to a surge in such operations, with at least five high-profile military assassinations or attempts in the past two years alone.

The method, firearms at close range, deviates from previous Ukrainian-linked incidents, which typically involved explosives, suggesting possible internal Russian motives, Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications noted.

Security protocols for generals like Alekseyev appear inadequate.

Neighbors reported malfunctioning surveillance cameras at his building, a basic lapse for a GRU deputy and "a telling detail about just how weak the security was for one of Russia's highest-ranking intelligence officials," political analyst Giorgi Revishvili observed on X.

Unlike the defense minister or chief of staff, most generals lack dedicated bodyguards, relying on standard protocols that have proven insufficient.

Russia's FSB and Investigative Committee have framed the Alekseyev shooting as foreign sabotage, detaining Korba in Dubai with UAE assistance and extraditing him swiftly.

Yet, the quick blame on Ukraine echoes past responses, diverting attention from domestic issues.

Alekseyev's role in negotiating during the 2023 Wagner mutiny may have created enemies within Russia's own power structures.

These internal fractures are compounded by the mounting human and material costs of the war, which has prompted the recruitment of foreign fighters who often face deception, coercion, and brutal frontline conditions.

Internal vulnerabilities

Deeper analysis reveals systemic cracks.

In a rare admission last year, Putin acknowledged security shortcomings after similar incidents.

UK-based Tactics Institute for Security and Counter-Terrorism described the Alekseyev case as "part of a growing pattern of targeted killings," underscoring Russia's inability to shield its military elite.

Dominic Waghorn, international affairs editor of Sky News, pointed to a potential "catastrophic failure of security at the very top of Russia’s military intelligence structure."

These lapses extend beyond individuals. With generals reportedly sleeping in offices for safety, the morale and operational effectiveness of Russia's military leadership are at risk.

At the same time, the Alekseyev shooting underscores a broader crisis: Russia's struggle to maintain internal security amid external conflicts.