An attempt was made on the life of a key organizer of referendums in Kherson region

An attempt was made in Moscow to assassinate Lieutenant General of the Russian Ministry of Defense Vladimir Alekseev. He was involved in the organization of fake "referendums" and the occupation of the Kherson region.

This was reported by Radio Liberty.

According to them, an unknown person attacked the military man near his apartment building on Volokolamsk highway, shot him several times and then fled the scene.

Alekseev was taken to the intensive care unit of a Moscow hospital in serious condition. Russian law enforcement agencies opened criminal proceedings and are currently searching for the shooter.

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, he is a native of Ukraine and received his military education in Ryazan. He was responsible for coordinating missile and air strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, which caused significant destruction and civilian casualties.

In addition, he has been linked to the Wagner PMC - Alekseev is considered one of the founders and curators of this private military company. At the beginning of the rebellion against the PMC leadership, he publicly called on the militants to lay down their arms, but later remained active in the leadership of the group and its operations.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, the general was also responsible for legalizing Russia's presence in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. In particular, he organized pseudo-referendums in the Kherson region aimed at formally legitimizing the occupation administration and integrating the region into Russian structures.

In January, the court found in absentia a Russian Major General, commander of the 50th Separate Operational Brigade of the Russian Guard, guilty of waging an aggressive war against Ukraine. At least six tactical groups were operating under the command of the convicted person, who was engaged in hostilities in Kherson region. As a result of these actions, civilians, including children, suffered.

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, Alekseev was responsible for collecting intelligence and preparing information for strikes on Ukraine, including on civilian infrastructure, as well as for the creation of the so-called "Kherson People's Republic".

In addition, he headed the intelligence of Russian troops in Syria. It was for this activity that Alekseev was awarded the title of "Hero of Russia" by the President of the Russian Federation in 2017. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian Defense Ministry officer was also involved in interference in the 2016 US presidential election. In particular, he supervised cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee and discredited the American electoral system.

Also last year, Stanislav Orlov, the founder and commander of the Russian Espanyol brigade, formed of neo-Nazi football fans for the war against Ukraine, was killed at his dacha in temporarily occupied Sevastopol.

Анна Бальчінос