A week ago, Russian General Vladimir Alexeev, deputy head of the army’s intelligence service, was shot in the stairwell of the building where he lived.
The officer survived the attack, and today he is out of any danger, according to several publications in Russia.
Although the official position of the Kremlin is that the attack was an operation by Ukrainian special forces, there are no credible clues to support this hypothesis.
The attackers have been captured. At least one of them is a Russian citizen.
The Ukrainians have denied any involvement in the attack. In the past, special forces from Kiev have carried out operations against senior Russian officers, which they have claimed responsibility for.
For Zelenski, the attack on Alexeev would have been considered a success of his intelligence services, especially since Alexeev's chief, Igor Kostiukov, is involved in the ceasefire negotiations currently taking place between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the USA.
"Alexeev is not a victim. He is a node: a channel between GRU, Wagner, and the front. A witness and coordinator who knows too much... His elimination logically fits into a bigger picture. After the military revolt initiated by the Wagner Group, all those who could repeat the attempt have been and are being eliminated...," wrote Oleg Ceslavski, a Ukrainian journalist, for the Medium publication.
Army Without Internet
Ceslavski's theory is that the assassination attempt on General Alexeiev, the GRU deputy, is related to a broader process initiated by Vladimir Putin a few weeks ago, in which he is trying to neutralize key figures in Russia's pro-war faction to avoid a revolt against him after a possible ceasefire with Ukraine.
The Kremlin leader's major fear is losing power and even his life after the war ends due to the actions of a military elite that has accumulated immense power and resources during the four years of war and has no interest in ending the bloody conflict, as its conclusion would diminish their influence and access to funds.
The Ukrainian journalist's vision would have remained a mere theory if, in recent weeks, several strange events had not occurred in Russia.
The Kremlin's military, following a decision by Elon Musk, lost access to Starlink, the company that manages the satellite network providing internet connections from anywhere on the globe.
All coordination of Moscow's artillery forces was done through data transfer provided by Starlink's internet. There are dozens of testimonies from Russian military personnel complaining that, with the connection cut off, they were left in informational darkness, and communication between military structures on the front lines is difficult.
What everyone feared for a long time has happened. Elon Musk pressed the button, and our communications are in chaos..."
Yuri Podoliak, a vlogger with 3 million followers on Telegram, quoted by the British publication "The Guardian"
So far, Putin has done everything possible to keep Musk on his side, by influencing Trump and other allies he has in America, as well as creating possible business opportunities for the world's richest man.
Suddenly, in the context of ceasefire negotiations, the Russian army is left without internet.
According to Ukrainian officials, Musk's decision was made after negotiations between the billionaire and representatives of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
But the surprise is not that, but Moscow's weak reaction to such a decision with serious consequences for the Russian army.
Military Bloggers Silenced
Another mysterious, seemingly illogical decision made by Vladimir Putin is to shut down Telegram, Russia's most widely used social platform.
Almost 100 million Russians used the app, over 60% of the population, according to data published by the Moscow Times.
Telegram itself was a platform controlled by Russia's intelligence services. Pavel Durov, its founder, is suspected of strong ties to the Kremlin, with several pieces of evidence indicating that the FSB and GRU had the ability to monitor, conduct propaganda campaigns, and uncover the identities of those using Telegram.
Why would Vladimir Putin decide to cut off Russians' access to the main internal propaganda channel, the platform on which he mobilized the entire nation to wage a criminal war against Ukraine?
The only logical answer is that he sought to silence military bloggers, who were extremely useful during the conflict but in the event of a ceasefire, military propaganda accounts on Telegram would become a danger to Putin, who fears the wrath of his generals and veterans returning from the front lines.
It is wrong to assume that the FSB could have organized the assassination as an act of revenge or a struggle for influence. In fact, we are witnessing the final purge of the pro-war party, which is underway. It is not about FSB versus GRU, but about the system against those who could hinder the exit from the conflict on terms acceptable to the Kremlin.
Oleg Ceslavski, Ukrainian journalist, for the Medium publication
In this context, Russian officials have announced that they will participate in next week's negotiations with the Ukrainian side.
Surely, Vladimir Putin will not give up the already occupied territories, and signals from Kiev indicate that Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to make certain compromises regarding the Donbass region.
With the situation being complex, after almost four years of war, there is a small possibility of reaching a ceasefire. The peace process will be much more complicated and lengthy.