Russian President Vladimir Putin thanks his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for help with the arrest and extradition
Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for help with the detention of a man suspected of shooting a Russian military intelligence officer, Russian agencies reported, citing Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Sheikh Mohamed and President Putin, during a phone call on Saturday evening, also discussed regional and international issues and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, Wam reported.
The suspect, a Ukrainian-born Russian citizen, was extradited to Moscow from Dubai on suspicion of gravely injuring Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia’s vast GRU military intelligence service.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said the man was detained in Dubai and handed over to Russia.
Russia said it has identified three suspects involved in the shooting, including Korba, the man said to have carried out the attack.
Russia’s Investigations Committee said Korba arrived in the capital Moscow in late December “on assignment from Ukrainian intelligence services to commit a terrorist attack”. Kyiv has reportedly denied involvement.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence arm, was shot several times in an apartment block in Moscow on Friday, investigators said. He underwent surgery after the shooting, Russian media said.
Alexeyev, 64, was taken to hospital after the attack in a residential block of flats in the north-western outskirts of Moscow. He has since regained consciousness after surgery, according to Russian media reports.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of being behind the assassination attempt, which he said was designed to sabotage peace talks.
Alexeyev’s boss, Admiral Igor Kostyukov, the head of the GRU, has been leading Russia’s delegation in negotiations with Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on security-related aspects of a potential peace deal.
