Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, Deputy Head of Intelligence in Russia, was shot Friday morning in his residence building in Moscow.
The senior general was rushed to a city hospital in an unspecified condition, while security forces have launched an extensive manhunt for the shooter.
According to a statement from the Russian Investigative Committee, the assassin ambushed Alekseyev in his residential building and shot him several times at close range.
Immediately after the shooting, the assailant fled the scene. Federal investigators and security service teams arriving at the location collected forensic evidence and reviewed security camera footage.
Svetlana Petrenko, a spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee, briefly stated: "A criminal investigation has been opened on suspicion of attempted murder. All leads are being investigated."
Alekseyev is considered one of the most senior and influential officers in Russia's military intelligence service, a position he has held continuously since 2011. In his role, he oversees sensitive and secret operations of the Russian Ministry of Defense overseas and in the Ukrainian theater.
The assassination attempt adds to a series of killings and attacks against senior officers and government officials in Russia in recent years. While the Kremlin often points a finger at Ukraine's intelligence services, Kyiv generally maintains ambiguity regarding actions deep within Russian territory.