FSB Says Ukrainian Plotters Targeted Many Russian Defense Officials
Alekseyev, who serves as the first deputy chief of Russia’s military intelligence agency GRU, was shot last Friday in the hallway of his Moscow apartment building.
The prime suspect, 65-year-old Lyubomir Korba, a Ukrainian-born Russian citizen, was apprehended in the United Arab Emirates at Russia’s request and transferred to Moscow over the weekend. Kiev has denied any role in the attack.
A third individual, Pavel Vasin, has now been detained, the FSB announced on Tuesday. Vasin, a Russian national in his mid-40s and son of Viktor Vasin—another suspect previously arrested—admitted to assisting in the plot.
The FSB said, “Pavel Vasin purchased surveillance equipment for his father and Korba, while also providing vehicles that they used to surveil Russian Defense Ministry officials and pick up the gun used in the attack on Alekseyev from a cache.”
His confession reportedly led authorities to identify “two more high-ranking officials in the Russian Defense Ministry who had been monitored by Korba and Viktor Vasin on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence, with the aim of carrying out further acts of sabotage and terrorism.”
The agency added that Vasin helped collect information online about the targets, which were allegedly “selected by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).” Korba previously told investigators that he had been recruited by the SBU last August and promised $30,000 for the assassination.
Alekseyev, who was shot four times, remains hospitalized in stable condition. He is conscious and able to speak, according to reports citing medical sources.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week claimed that the attempt on the general’s life represented a Ukrainian effort “to sabotage the peace process.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
