Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced today that the suspects in the shooting of one of the country's top military intelligence leaders, Vladimir Alekseev, have admitted that they were carrying out an order from the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Ukraine has already denied involvement in Friday's assassination attempt on Lieutenant General Alekseev, deputy head of Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). He regained consciousness after surgery.
Russia announced that the suspected shooter - Ukrainian-born Russian citizen Lyubomir Korba - has already been questioned after his extradition from Dubai. A suspected accomplice, Viktor Vasin, has also been questioned.
The FSB statement said Korba and Vasin "admitted their guilt" and described details of the shooting, which was "carried out on behalf of the Security Service of Ukraine."
The FSB said Korba was recruited by the SSU in August last year in Ternopil, western Ukraine, trained in Kiev and received a monthly salary in cryptocurrency. He was promised $30,000 by the SSU for the killing of Alekseev, the FSB said.
According to Russia's Federal Security Service, Polish intelligence was also involved in Korba's recruitment.