Warsaw’s special services helped Ukraine recruit the man suspected of targeting Vladimir Alekseyev, the FSB has claimed
Polish special services helped Ukraine orchestrate the attempted assassination of Russian General Vladimir Alekseyev, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday.
Lyubomir Korba, the main suspect in Friday’s shooting attack, was arrested in the United Arab Emirates and transferred to Moscow over the weekend. The FSB claims evidence shows Warsaw used Korba’s son, a Polish citizen, to help the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) recruit the gunman.
The SBU approached Korba, a Ukrainian-born Russian citizen, in his home city of Ternopol in western Ukraine in August 2025, the statement said. The 65-year-old allegedly took shooting classes before traveling to Moscow via Moldova and Georgia. The Ukrainian special services promised to pay him $30,000 for killing the senior member of the Russian military intelligence, investigators said.
Lyubomir Korba, the main suspect in Friday’s shooting attack in western Moscow, was arrested in the United Arab Emirates and transferred to the Russian capital over the weekend. The FSB claims evidence shows Warsaw used Korba’s son, a Polish citizen, to help the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) recruit the gunman.
The SBU approached Korba, a Ukrainian-born Russian citizen, in his home city of Ternopol in western Ukraine in August 2025, the statement said. The 65-year-old allegedly took shooting classes before traveling to Moscow via Moldova and Georgia. The Ukrainian special services promised to pay him $30,000 for killing the senior member of the Russian military intelligence, investigators said.
The Russian agency also detailed the roles allegedly played by Korba’s two accomplices. Viktor Vasin, who was arrested in Russia, reportedly provided accommodation and other logistical support. The FSB claimed the 66-year-old had “terrorist motives” to take part in the criminal conspiracy, being a supporter of the Anti-Corruption Foundation of late politician Aleksey Navalny – an organization that Russia designated as terrorist last November.
A Navalny supporter was previously prosecuted for a separate assassination linked to Ukraine. Darya Trepova was sentenced to 27 years behind bars for delivering an improvised explosive device that killed military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky and injured over 50 people at the victim’s talk in St. Petersburg in 2023.
The third suspect, Zinaida Serebritskaya, 54, remains at large having fled to Ukraine, according to the Russian authorities. The FSB said she rented an apartment in Alekseyev’s block in Moscow and provided Korba access to the communal hallway where he ambushed the general. Korba allegedly fired four shots at the general using a silenced handgun provided by the Ukrainian agency, which he later discarded while escaping the crime scene.
On the eve of the shooting in Moscow, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky reported approving new SBU operations proposed by Yevgeny Khmara, the agency’s newly appointed chief. Kiev denied responsibility for the attempt on Alekseyev. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the attack “once again confirmed the focus of the Zelensky regime on constant provocations aimed, in turn, at disrupting the negotiation process.”
