Top Russian General Shot in Moscow Amidst Thawing US-Russia Relations
Moscow, Russia - Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, a high-profile Russian general and military intelligence official, was shot multiple times in Moscow on Friday, according to Euronews. The incident occurred in a residential building on the north-western outskirts of the capital. Alekseyev was immediately hospitalized, and while his condition remains unknown, reports indicate he survived the attack. The assailant reportedly fled the scene.
Alekseyev has been under European Union sanctions for his alleged role in orchestrating the 2018 Novichok poisoning attack in Salisbury, England, which targeted Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Euronews reported.
The shooting occurred against a backdrop of potentially improving relations between the United States and Russia. Just days prior, on Thursday, the US and Russia agreed to resume high-level military communications, according to Euronews. These talks, held in Abu Dhabi, mark the first time in over four years that the two nations have re-established military dialogue. High-level military communication had been suspended in late 2021, months before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The resumption of dialogue comes as Washington intensifies diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, which is nearing its fourth anniversary, Euronews noted.
In other international news, the United States announced an additional $6 million in aid to Cuba, despite ongoing diplomatic tensions, Euronews reported. The aid is intended for those affected by Hurricane Melissa in the eastern regions of the island. Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel has accused the US of an energy blockade, further straining relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, in Europe, Storm Leonardo caused widespread flooding in Spain, forcing the evacuation of 4,000 people in Andalusia, Euronews reported. The storm dumped over 600 liters of water per square meter in Grazalema in just 36 hours. Schools were closed, and rail and road links were suspended in several areas. Police in Cadiz rescued people trapped in an abandoned building, and Civil Guard officers are searching for a woman missing near Malaga, believed to have fallen into a swollen river.
In Milan, Italy, the Winter Olympics flame arrived in Piazza Duomo, where ballerina Nicoletta Manni lit the cauldron, drawing large crowds, Euronews reported. The Milan leg marked the 60th stage of a 12,000 km journey that began in Olympia. The cauldron will burn guarded 24/7 until the Opening Ceremony this 6 February at San Siro Stadium.
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