Russia says it has identified three suspects involved in the shooting of high-profile military general Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev. They include the man said to have carried out the attack, who has been named as Russian citizen Lyubomir Korba.

Russia's Investigations Committee (SK) stated Korba arrived in Moscow in late December on assignment from Ukrainian intelligence services to commit a terrorist attack. Kyiv has reportedly denied involvement.

Alexeyev, 64, was taken to hospital following the attack in a residential area of Moscow on Friday. He has since regained consciousness after undergoing surgery, according to Russian media reports.

Alexeyev, ranked second in Russia's GRU military intelligence, is the latest high-ranking military figure to be targeted since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.

Spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said the attacker fired three shots before fleeing, and Korba traveled to the United Arab Emirates shortly after the shooting. He has since been arrested and extradited.

Russian state TV aired footage of Korba being escorted off a plane following his return. Authorities located the murder weapon, a Makarov pistol with a silencer, during the investigation.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Kyiv was not connected to the shooting, suggesting it might be an internal Russian issue. In contrast, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of orchestrating the attack to obstruct peace negotiations.

Alexeyev's superior, GRU head Adm Igor Kostyukov, has been actively participating in diplomatic talks in the UAE aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict.

Korba is believed to have had at least one accomplice; a man named Viktor Vasin has been apprehended and charged, while another suspect, Zinaida Serebritskaya, is thought to have fled to Ukraine.

This incident follows a pattern of attacks on Russian military figures amidst the ongoing hostilities, with previous attacks attributed to Ukrainian intelligence and claims of thwarted plots against soldiers in Russian territory.

The atmosphere remains tense as the situation develops, with implications for both Russian internal security and international relations amid the ongoing conflict.