Vladimir Stepanovich Alekseyev (Russian: Владимир Степанович Алексеев; born 24 April 1961) is a Russian lieutenant general who has served as first deputy head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU) since 2011. He was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation for his involvement in the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war. Alekjsevey is known to have intelligence connections to paramilitary groups around the world.[1] He was also involved in corruption in 2020 United States Presidential Elections.[2]
Vladimir Stepanovich Alekseyev | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Владимир Степанович Алексеев |
| Born | 24 April 1961 Holodky, Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Allegiance | Russia |
| Service | GRU |
| Years of service | 1980–present |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Battles / wars | Syrian Civil War |
| Awards | Hero of the Russian Federation |
Biography
editAn ethnic Ukrainian, Vladimir Stepanovich Alekseyev was born on 24 April 1961 in the village of Holodky, Khmilnyk Raion, Vinnytsia Oblast in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, the son of an invalid father and nurse mother. Residents of the village later recalled that Alekseyev was interested in a military career from a young age. He completed secondary school and was conscripted, failing to gain admission to a military school. Finishing his conscript service, Alekseyev gained admission to the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, graduating in 1984. After moving to Russia he married a Russian woman, Galina, with whom he had two children.[3] Alekseyev served in Spetsnaz units, rising to chief of the intelligence directorate of the Moscow Military District headquarters, and then in the same position in the Far Eastern Military District. Later he was transferred to the central staff of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), where he headed the 14th department, responsible for the Spetsnaz.[4] Alekseyev was appointed chief of staff and first deputy head of the Main (Intelligence) Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in 2011, and was promoted to lieutenant general.[5] The last time Alekseyev visited his birthplace was September 2014 for the funeral of his mother, after the War in Donbas began.[3]
Alekseyev was sanctioned by the United States for organizing "malicious cyberattacks" in the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.[6] During the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war, he supervised military intelligence officers. For his "courage and heroism, shown in the execution of military duty," Alekseyev was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation by a secret decree in 2017.[5] For orchestrating the 2018 poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, Alekseyev was sanctioned by the European Union in January 2019.[7]
In 2019 Vladimir Alekseyev, as deputy head of the GRU, lead the team in Ukraine who interfered in 2020 United States Presidential Elections through Rudy Giuliani and the Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory .[8] According to charges filed by Ukraine Alekseyev paid the a team of Oleksandr Dubinsky, Andriy Derkach, and Kostyantyn Kulyk ten million dollars for information subversive activities[9]
In May 2022, he was identified as the top military intelligence commander responsible for Ukraine by Tsargrad TV, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, signaling a switch of responsibility for targeting Ukraine in intelligence operations away from the 5th Service of the FSB.[10] Alekseyev was among the Russian representatives in the negotiations for the July 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative, and at the time Bellingcat investigator Christo Grozev identified him as supervising Russian private military companies.[11] Sanctioned by Canada on 19 August 2022 for being complicit in the Russian regime's aggression against Ukraine.[12]
When the Wagner Group rebellion began on 23 June 2023, Alekseyev appeared in a video in which he condemned the actions of the Wagner Group as a coup, a "stab in the back of the country and president. Only the president has the authority to appoint senior military leadership, and you are trying to encroach on his power."[13] Hours later, Alekseyev and deputy minister of defense Yunus-bek Yevkurov negotiated with Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in Rostov-on-Don.[14]
Decorations
editAlekseyev is a recipient of the following decorations:[5]
- Hero of the Russian Federation
- Order of St. George, 4th class (2022)
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class with swords
- Order of Alexander Nevsky
- Order of Suvorov
- Order of Courage (2)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Martern, Kimberly (2023-09-01). "Why the Wagner Group Cannot Be Easily Absorbed by the Russian Military—and What That Means for the West". Russia Matters. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ "Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Dubinsky arrested for treason The deputy is suspected of working for Russia and interfering in U.S. elections". Meduza. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
- ^ a b "#ВУкраине: свой чужой генерал". Current Time TV (in Russian). 6 December 2022.
- ^ Kuksenkova, Irina (28 October 2011). "Россия сольет разведчиков" [Russia to merge intelligence officers]. Moskovsky Komsomolets (in Russian).
- ^ a b c Smirnov, Vitaly. "Алексеев Владимир Степанович" [Alekseyev, Vladimir Stepanovich]. Warheroes (in Russian).
- ^ "Министерство финансов США вводит санкции в отношении российских киберсубъектов в связи с вмешательством в американские выборы 2016 года и вредоносными кибератаками" (in Russian). US Embassy in Russia. 15 March 2018.
- ^ "ЕС ввел санкции против ГРУ за применение химоружия в Солсбери" [EU imposes sanctions against GRU for use of chemical weapons in Salisbury]. BBC Russian Service (in Russian). 21 January 2019.
- ^ "Ukraine charges officials tied to Hunter Biden probe and Russia". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ "Ukraine charges Rudy Giuliani's top local ally with Moscow-linked treason". POLITICO. 2023-11-13. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
- ^ Borogan, Andrei Soldatov, Irina (2022-05-09). "The Shadow War: Putin Strips Spies of Ukraine Role". CEPA. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Kovalenko, Yelena (19 July 2022). "На зерновые переговоры в Стамбул Россия отправила куратора наемников". UNIAN (in Russian).
- ^ "Elites and close associates of the Regime". 19 August 2022.
- ^ ""Пока не поздно, нужно остановить колонны и подчиниться воле президента". Генерал Суровикин призвал бойцов ЧВК Вагнера "решить вопросы мирным путем"". Meduza (in Russian). 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Пригожин объяснил высшим чинам российской армии, что с ним надо говорить на вы". Meduza (in Russian).