Putin thanks UAE for help in arrest of general's assassination suspect

2026-02-08 - 21:25

Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally thanked UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the United Arab Emirates' role in capturing a suspect linked to the attempted murder of a high-ranking Russian military official. The Kremlin stated the call occurred Saturday night, highlighting growing security collaboration between Moscow and Abu Dhabi. Details of the Attack and Arrests The assassination attempt targeted Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, the deputy head of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, in Moscow on Friday. The assailant shot the general inside his apartment building, leaving him seriously wounded. Russian authorities later detained an alleged accomplice in Moscow, while the suspected primary perpetrator, identified as Ukrainian national Lyubomyr Korba, was arrested in Dubai with UAE assistance and transferred to Russia. Broader Context of Attacks on Russian Officials This incident is part of a wider pattern of attacks on Russian military and security figures since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine. Russian security services claim there have been dozens of such attempts, some fatal, including the killings of several generals. Moscow typically classifies these acts as terrorism and alleges connections to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), which has not officially claimed responsibility, though Western media often cites unnamed SBU sources. Diplomatic and Security Implications Putin's call to the UAE president also covered other topics discussed during the Emirati leader's recent visit to Moscow. The cooperation in apprehending the suspect underscores the pragmatic security partnerships Russia is cultivating in the Middle East, even as it remains isolated from many Western nations. The incident reinforces Moscow's narrative of being under attack from Ukrainian operatives, both domestically and abroad.