Kremlin security services apprehend alleged gunman Lyubomir Korba in the UAE following the attempted assassination of intelligence chief.

The shadow war between Russia and Ukraine has spilled onto the streets of Moscow and the skyscrapers of Dubai. In a lightning-fast operation that underscores the reach of the Kremlin’s security apparatus, Russian authorities have announced the arrest of Lyubomir Korba, the prime suspect in the attempted assassination of Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev. The arrest, carried out in Dubai and followed by immediate extradition, marks a significant escalation in the intelligence conflict.

General Alekseyev, a high-ranking figure in the GRU (military intelligence), was shot three times in the stairwell of his Moscow apartment—a brazen attack in the heart of the Russian capital. The detention of Korba, a Russian citizen of Ukrainian origin, has been swiftly framed by Moscow as proof of Kyiv’s "terrorist" tactics deep within Russian territory.

The Dubai Connection

The FSB’s narrative is cinematic: Korba allegedly carried out the hit and fled to the UAE, believing himself safe. However, the speed of his repatriation suggests a level of security cooperation between Moscow and Abu Dhabi that will unsettle Western intelligence agencies. Footage released by Russian state media showed a blindfolded Korba being led off a jet in Moscow, flanked by masked commandos.

Investigators claim Korba was acting on orders from Ukrainian intelligence, using a silenced Makarov pistol to target the General. Two alleged accomplices have also been identified—one detained in Moscow, the other reportedly fleeing across the border to Ukraine.

• The Target: Lt. Gen. Alekseyev is no ordinary officer. As a deputy director of the GRU, he has been instrumental in overseeing Russia’s covert operations abroad, making him a high-value target for Kyiv’s asymmetrical warfare.
• The Geopolitics: The UAE’s role in handing over the suspect highlights the Gulf state’s delicate balancing act, maintaining ties with Moscow despite Western pressure. This extradition is a diplomatic victory for Putin.

A War Without Borders

This incident shatters the illusion of safety for Russia’s elite. If a GRU General can be gunned down in his own building, no one is untouchable. The prompt arrest is intended to project strength, but the attack itself reveals a gaping hole in domestic security.

As Korba faces interrogation in the bowels of Lefortovo prison, the message is grim: the frontlines of the Ukraine war are no longer confined to the Donbas. They are in the lobbies of Moscow apartments and the transit lounges of international airports.