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US and Iran say ‘good’ start made in talks over nuclear programme

Indirect talks between Iran and the US on the future of Iran’s nuclear programme ended on Friday with a broad agreement to maintain a diplomatic path, possibly with further talks in the coming days, according to statements from Iran and the Omani hosts. The relieved Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, described the eight hours of meetings as a “good start” conducted in a good atmosphere. He added that the continuance of talks depended on consultations in Washington and Tehran, but said Iran had underlined that any dialogue required refraining from threats. Donald Trump described the talks as “very good” and said that another meeting would be held early next week. But the US president, speaking aboard Air Force One, also warned: “If they don’t make a deal, the consequences are very steep.” The talks were the first to be held between Iran and the US since Washington and Israel launched devastating military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and political leadership last June. Trump has in recent weeks assembled a large fleet in the region built around the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group, after telling Iranian protesters in January that “help is on the way” during large-scale anti-government demonstrations. Iran, which has experienced intense internal unrest in which thousands of protesters have been killed in a bloody crackdown, had insisted that the talks be confined to guarantees about the civilian purpose of its nuclear programme, and not extend to human rights, its missiles, or support for proxy groups in the region including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. “Our talks are solely nuclear and we do not discuss any other issues with the Americans,” Araghchi said. The indirect talks in Muscat were mediated by Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, in separate talks between the two sides. The US team was led by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the US president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The US Centcom commander, Adm Brad Cooper, was also present, underlining how Trump has made US military leverage a central part of his diplomatic armoury. Al-Busaidi said in a statement: “These consultations focused on creating suitable conditions for the resumption of diplomatic and technical negotiations emphasising the importance of these talks and parties’ determination to succeed in achieving lasting security and stability.” Trust between Iran and the US has been minimal since the US backed the launch of Israeli military strikes on Iran only days before the two sides were due to meet for a sixth round of talks last June. “After eight turbulent months during which we went through a war, resuming a process of dialogue is not simple,” Araghchi said. “The deep mistrust that has developed on top of previous mistrust is a serious challenge. First we must overcome the prevailing atmosphere of distrust … If this trend continues, I think we can reach a good framework for an agreement”. Washington wanted to expand the talks to cover Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for armed groups in the region and “treatment of their own people” – as the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said on Wednesday. But, after days of speculation, Iranian negotiators were satisfied that only the nuclear dispute would be discussed, at least initially. Iran is seeking assurances that the US is not using the talks as a smokescreen to impose regime change. Before the talks, Tehran said the US had to drop its request for the negotiations to be held in Turkey in the presence of foreign ministers from Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Iran says its right to enrich uranium on Iranian soil – a right it was granted in the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by Barack Obama – is not negotiable. The best source of compromise is that Iran agrees to suspend plans to enrich uranium for a fixed number of years, and a regional consortium is formed that enriches uranium, taking the region closer to an integrated civil nuclear programme. Iran is also seeking sanctions relief in return for a new inspections regime at its nuclear sites. The value of the rial against the dollar has halved since the Israeli attacks in June, and Iran’s plummeting standard of living, made worse by runaway food inflation close to more than 100%, was the spark for the demonstrations that broke out in late December. The talks were meanwhile being held against the backdrop of repeated warnings by Trump that he will strike Iran militarily from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group if no progress is made. The US has been building up its naval presence in the region after the Iranian government crackdown on protests, heightening tensions between Washington and Tehran. Tehran has said it will not hesitate to attack Israel or US military bases in the region if it is attacked. Washington last month held back from attacking Iran partly because Israel and the US military did not feel they were fully prepared to withstand the likely Iranian reprisals.

Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy calls for faster action to boost air defences as Trump hails ‘very good’ peace talks

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for faster action in boosting Ukrainian air defences and repairing damage to electricity grids and heating systems after huge Russian air attacks in freezing temperatures. The Ukrainian president said personnel changes would be made in areas where air defences had less than satisfactory results. Kyiv has been hit particularly hard and Zelenskyy said more than 1,110 apartment blocks remained without heat in the aftermath of the latest assault on the Ukrainian capital last Tuesday. Night-time temperatures have eased somewhat but were still due to hit -8C (18F). “The small-scale air defence component, specifically countering attacks drones, must work more efficiently and prevent the problems that exist,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address on Friday. “In some areas, defence lines are built better. In others, much more work is needed.” Zelenskyy also said even faster work was needed in restoring power and heat to residents weary from the recurring night-time attacks. “Every day matters. All decisions must be implemented as quickly as possible,” he said. “There are not weeks and months available for repairs or supplying equipment. Many, many things are being actively accelerated.” Assistance was being redirected to Kyiv from other regions, he said. Donald Trump has said “very good talks” are ongoing over Russia’s war in Ukraine and that there could be movement as a result. “Very, very good talks today, having to do with Russia-Ukraine,” the US president told reporters on Friday. “Something could be happening.” The Kremlin said earlier that a third round of peace talks should take place “soon”, although there was no fixed date yet. The latest round of talks this week resulted in the two agreeing to a major prisoner swap but failed to yield a breakthrough on the thorny issue of territory. “For two days there was constructive and very difficult work,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, a day after the talks ended. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff earlier cautioned that “significant work remains” while Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the talks were “not easy” but that Ukraine would remain constructive. A top Russian military official who plays a major role in the country’s intelligence services has been shot in Moscow and hospitalised, Pjotr Sauer reports state media as saying. Lt Gen Vladimir Alekseyev, 64, was shot several times on the stairwell of his apartment on Friday by an unknown gunman in the city’s north-west and was in serious condition, according to reports. Oleg Tsaryov, a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian figure close to Alekseyev, said the general had undergone surgery and remained in a coma. No party has claimed responsibility for shooting Alekseyev but Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of being behind it, while Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine had nothing to do with the shooting. The European Commission has proposed a sweeping ban on any services that support Russia’s seaborne crude oil exports, going far beyond previous piecemeal EU sanctions in its effort to stunt Moscow’s key source of income for its war on Ukraine. Russia exports over a third of its oil in western tankers – mostly from Greece, Cyprus and Malta – with the help of western shipping services. The ban would end that practice, which mostly supplies India and China, and render obsolete a price cap on purchases of Russian crude oil that the Group of Seven western powers have tried to enforce with mixed success. EC president Ursula von der Leyen did not specify how the ban would be phased in or whether it would later include refined products – whose price cap is different – and other energy exports such as liquefied natural gas (LNG). Von der Leyen said on Friday the ban would be “in coordination with like-minded partners” and that Russian LNG tankers and icebreakers would encounter “sweeping bans” on maintenance and other services. She said the package would also include a new import ban on metals, chemicals and critical minerals not yet under sanctions, and restrict even more European exports to Russia. The US state department has approved the potential sale of spare parts for military equipment and related items to Ukraine for an estimated cost of $185m, the Pentagon said on Friday.

The pro-democracy People’s party is leading the polls, but Thailand has been here before

A flood of gifts are passed by adoring fans to 38-year-old Thai politician Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut. Supporters, many of them young students, hand over orange garlands, plastic oranges on string, fresh orange fruit, a bunch of bananas and some corn on the cob. The trademark orange colour is one of the few things that has remained constant for his youthful, pro-reform party, which has been dissolved twice by Thailand’s constitutional court, and forced to regroup under new names and new leaders. “If you define yourselves … as being on the side of democracy, give us a chance,” Natthaphong urged a crowd of supporters at a campaign rally for his People’s party in Udon Thani, in north-eastern Thailand this week. “This party loves democracy.” People’s party, fuelled by support among young and urban voters, is leading opinion polls ahead of the election on Sunday. However, it is not expected to win an outright majority, and it may face an uphill struggle to form a coalition with rivals, which have previously blocked its bids for power. It also faces looming legal battles. People’s party will be up against incumbent prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of Bhumjaithai, a shrewd dealmaker who has the support of royalist military conservatives, as well as Pheu Thai, the party associated with now jailed former leader Thaksin Shinawatra. Although Pheu Thai is expected to see a decline in support, the party remains a powerful political force. Many of the voters attending the People’s party’s rally say they want structural change to Thailand’s political system. “I’ve lived through so many elections in my life, I don’t want to see the same system again. I want equality for the people, and for young people to be able to express their opinions freely,” said supporter Rattanakorn Boonchi, 46. The movement behind the People’s party emerged only eight years ago, but has quickly captured public support by promising reforms to make the country more democratic and break up monopolies that dominate the Thai economy. In the last election, in 2023, the People’s party predecessor, then called Move Forward, shocked its rivals in the military royalist establishment by winning the most votes and seats. However, Move Forward was blocked by military-appointed senators from taking power, and was later dissolved by the constitutional court. Judges said the party’s promise to reform the draconian lese-majesty law, under which criticism of the monarchy can lead to up to 15 years in prison, violated the constitution. ‘Corruption is the first priority’ Legal cases continue to hang over the party’s members, including its leader Natthaphong, who is one of 44 former Move Forward lawmakers being investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission for ethics breaches for attempting to change the lese-majesty law. The party has now dropped the policy. Natthaphong tells the Guardian he believes the case is “very low risk” and that he has done nothing wrong, adding “it is the right of the MPs to propose law amendments in the parliament.” Polling suggests Natthaphong, a former software engineer, lacks the same rockstar appeal as Pita Limjaroenrat, the charismatic leader of the party’s predecessor who was banned from office in 2024. In Udon Thani, however, Natthaphong is given a warm welcome by screaming supporters. A fan of computer games who helped run the party’s successful online strategy in the last election, he became the youngest leader of the opposition in 2024. The party’s priority is tackling corruption, Natthaphong says, to help attract investment and tackle Thailand’s stagnating economy. The promise resonates with many supporters. “Corruption is the first priority and if we solve that, the rest will follow,” says first-time-voter Khatawut Sukmarach, 18. Khatawut wants the economy to be more equal, he added, with more opportunities for young people in his home town in Udon Thani. “We need job opportunities that are decentralised from the capital [Bangkok]. I want to work close to my home,” Khatawut says. Phatcharaphon Bunyong, another first-time voter, whose friends screamed giddily when Natthaphong’s campaign car passed by, wants Thailand to move away from patronage politics, where people turn to local politicians for short-term support. “I want every Thai citizen to be able to be financially independent and not just receive money from politicians and be unable to make anything for themselves,” she says. People’s party has been critical of patronage-style politics, saying it breeds corruption, says Dr Napon Jatusripitak, visiting fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. This may win the approval of some voters, but it could also be a hard sell in a climate of slow economic growth when voters are struggling financially. “It’s really uncertain whether voters would prefer a candidate from a party that has performed strong constituency service, a bit more patronage-oriented in terms of solving concrete problems, or whether they would prefer a party that has proposed to engage in a more structural reform of the Thai economy as People’s party has tried to do,” says Napon. On Sunday, voters will elect 400 constituency seats as well as 100 party-list seats. Voters will also be asked if they support drafting a new constitution, a process that People’s party supports as it says it wants to make the charter more democratic. People’s party is likely to gain enough support in urban centres such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai, but needs to also cut through in more rural areas, says Napon. Udon Thani, which is being targeted by the People’s party, is a stronghold for former populist leader Thakin Shinawatra. In a local market, sellers say many in the area are still loyal to his party, Pheu Thai. “I have been voting Pheu Thai since I was 18 and now I’m about 50,” says Kamjan Pohsaeng. She admits she is tired of Thailand’s political upheavals – this is the fourth time the prime minister could change since the 2023 election – but she will go out to vote, she says. People’s party is trying to convince its supporters to do the same. After posing for selfies with a line of supporters, Natthaphong tells the Guardian. “I truly believe that if we have a turnout of more than 80% in this election, we can bring real change to bring back the politics in Thailand to belong to the people.”

‘The government doesn’t care’: Māori greet New Zealand PM with indifference at muted Waitangi

When New Zealand’s political leaders gathered to speak at the Waitangi treaty grounds where Māori chiefs and the British Crown forged a nation 186 years ago there was a striking absence: the public. As a light rain fell on the green peninsula in the far north of New Zealand on Thursday, fewer than 100 people gathered to watch the leaders welcomed onto the grounds, and only a handful of people heckled ministers as they spoke. The muted tone on the eve of Waitangi day, which commemorates the signing of the nation’s founding document the Treaty of Waitangi, marked a dramatic shift from a year earlier. In 2025, protesters turned their backs on government ministers and twice removed a microphone from David Seymour, the Act party leader and architect of the divisive treaty principles bill that sought to radically alter the way the treaty was interpreted. A year earlier, the rightwing coalition government faced record crowds and heated protests over their policies that many fear are undermining the treaty and rolling back Māori rights. The absence of protest does not necessarily mark a shift of sentiment in favour of the coalition government, which faces an election in November. Rather, it signals fatigue within the Indigenous population, a breakdown in trust in the government, and a desire to refocus attention towards Māori communities, visitors to the grounds tell the Guardian. “People are tired,” says Edward Ellison, an esteemed leader from the southern tribe Ngāi Tahu. “We’ve been beavering away on submissions, select committees … and the pace, rate and persistent aggressiveness on the treaty – it hasn’t lowered the passion – but there is that exhaustion.” Ngāi Tahu chose to forgo its usual celebrations in the South Island to attend Waitangi for the first time in years as a mark of solidarity and unity with northern iwi, or tribes. “It was the events of this government, the impact they are having on the treaty and our people, the divisive approach they are taking and pitting New Zealanders against New Zealanders,” Ellison says. Kassie Hartendorp, the director of community campaigning organisation Action Station Aotearoa, says protests have partly subsided because the government had already shown Māori “exactly who they are” and Māori were sick of their time and energy being taken up. “This coalition government largely doesn’t care what Māori think of them … if they did, we wouldn’t have had this absolute onslaught of anti-tiriti [treaty] policies.” The treaty, signed by Māori chiefs and the British Crown in 1840 is considered New Zealand’s founding document and is instrumental in upholding Māori rights. It has been commemorated as a public holiday on 6 February since 1974, with events around the country, and a formal multi-day celebration held at the Waitangi grounds. On Thursday, prime minister Christopher Luxon acknowledged the atmosphere surrounding Waitangi Day had “sometimes been very heated”. “New Zealand must continue to evolve in a way that empowers iwi and Māori while steadfastly protecting the unity of the country,” he said, while listing the articles of the treaty and how his government’s policies were fulfilling its promises The leader of the opposition, Labour’s Chris Hipkins said the prime minister’s speech was “a missed opportunity … to speak specifically to the theme that we were given, which was working together and bringing people together”. ‘Time for us to celebrate each other’ Ellison, meanwhile, found the politicians’ speeches were mostly “underwhelming”. “I was disappointed with the kōrero (talk) from the politicians – it didn’t inspire confidence that they had a way forward or a clear path that unites us or brings the best out of us,” Ellison said. On Friday, the mood shifted from muted to celebratory at the treaty grounds as tens of thousands descended to revel in the festivities. It is as much a time for celebration, music, food and community as it is a forum for political discussion about sovereignty, equality and history. At the dawn ceremony, thousands of visitors nursing hot drinks and wrapped in rugs, spilled over the peninsula. Some held tino rangatiratanga flags – symbols of Māori sovereignty – while others took the chance to boo Seymour, as he delivered a prayer. Later as the sun broke over the bay and the formalities gave way to festivities, the attention turned elsewhere – to music, community and a celebration of Māori culture. As Hartendorp spoke with the Guardian, waiata (traditional song) rang out from a large forum tent behind her. Stalls selling traditional food, woven bags and carved jewellery heaved with customers. Children darted between their family members and elders fanned themselves in the shade of gazebos. In the bay, thousands lined the banks to watch waka – traditional canoe – slip through the water. “That’s the beauty of Waitangi, we can come here and be exactly who we are and not have to fight and question it,’ Hartendorp said. “We’ve already had hundreds of thousands of people hīkoi [march], we’ve already broken historical records of submissions, we are a political force … and right now is a time for us to celebrate each other.”

Calls to postpone presidential election as Storm Leonardo lashes Portugal and Spain

Heavy rains and strong winds have continued to batter parts of Spain and Portugal, causing at least two deaths, forcing the evacuation of more than 7,000 people and prompting calls to postpone the second-round of Portugal’s presidential election. Storm Leonardo, which has lashed the Iberian peninsula this week, has led the Portuguese government to extend the current state of calamity in 69 municipalities until the middle of February. The storm has killed one man in Portugal, while the body of a woman who had been swept away by a river in the southern Spanish region of Andalucía was found on Friday. It is the latest in a series of deadly storms to have hit Portugal and Spain in recent weeks, killing several people. Authorities in Andalucía, where more than 7,000 people have been forced to leave their homes, evacuated residential areas near the Guadalquivir River in Córdoba overnight and pedestrian traffic was halted on the city’s Roman bridge. “We expect 30mm [of rain],” Andalucía’s regional president, Juan Manuel Moreno, said on Friday. “In other circumstances that would be little water but right now it is a lot as the soil is unable to drain and the rivers and reservoirs are full.” About 1,500 residents have been ordered to leave their homes in Grazalema, a mountain village popular with hikers, as water seeped through the walls of houses and cascaded along steep cobbled streets. Moreno told Cadena Ser radio that aquifers in the Grazalema mountains were full and could provoke landslides owing to pent-up pressure. “This could cause large holes or ditches. If this happens under a house or street, the result could be dramatic,” he said. He added geologists were assessing the situation in Grazalema to determine when people would be able to return to their homes. During a visit to a coordination post in Andalucía’s Cádiz province on Friday, the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, warned that “complicated days” lay ahead and appealed for caution and calm. He said that 10,000 emergency personnel had been deployed to help across the region, adding that the central government was coordinating the response with the Andalucía regional government. The heavy rains are also affecting the olive harvest. Francisco Elvira, who leads the Coag farmers’ association in Jaén province, put losses so far at €200m (£174m). Spain’s state meteorological office, Aemet, issued orange weather alerts on Friday for coastal areas of the north-western region of Galicia and yellow alerts for other parts of the northern coast, and for southern and eastern coastal areas, as well as for the Balearic islands. Rubén del Campo, an Aemet spokesperson, said more heavy rain would fall on Saturday. “Following a slight letup on Friday, Storm Marta will arrive, bringing heavy rain and very strong winds on Saturday to areas that have already been very adversely affected by the heavy rains of recent days,” he said. “Once Storm Marta moves off on Sunday, further weather fronts will arrive bringing less intense, but still significant, rainfall to most parts of the peninsula apart from Mediterranean areas.” In Portugal’s second-biggest city, Porto, the River Douro overflowed in the early hours on Friday, causing minor flooding at riverside cafe terraces. In the country’s south, large parts of the town of Alcácer do Sal, by the River Sado, remained semi-submerged for a third day. The commander of Portugal’s ANEPC civil protection service, Mario Silvestre, said six rivers, including the Tagus, were at risk of significant flooding, adding that Portugal was facing the worst flood threat along the Tagus in nearly three decades. The damage and uncertainty brought by the storm has given rise to calls to postpone Sunday’s second round of the presidential election. André Ventura, the leader of the far-right Chega party, said the vote should be delayed by a week as the poll was “a matter of equality among all Portuguese”. But the national electoral authority said the vote would go ahead as scheduled. “A state of emergency, weather alerts or overall unfavourable situations are not in themselves a sufficient reason to postpone voting in a town or region,” it said. Scientists say human-driven climate breakdown is increasing the length, intensity and frequency of extreme weather events such as the floods and heatwaves that have struck both countries in recent years. Reuters, Associated Press and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report

Russia blames Ukraine for attempted assassination of top general – as it happened

… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today! A top Russian military official who plays a major role in the country’s intelligence services has been taken to hospital after being shot in Moscow (9:36, 9:45). Without offering any evidence, Russia has blamed Ukraine for the attack, suggesting the attack was intended to disrupt the peace negotiations over ending the Russian invasion of the country (10:19, 12:20). Alekseyev’s shooting will be seen as the latest failure of Russia’s security services to protect key military personnel deep inside Russia (10:39). Separately, the European Commission has put forward new sanctions against Russia amid its continuing aggression on Ukraine, urging member states to swiftly adopt the measures before the fourth anniversary of the full-scale war later this month (15:11). The move comes amid new warnings from Norway that Russia could step up its spying activities and sabotage attempts in a bid to undermine Oslo’s support for Ukraine (14:16). In other news, Hundreds of protesters gathered in Milan on Friday to oppose the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and the closure of schools and streets in the city ahead of the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina Winter Games (11:48). The games officially begin tonight with an opening ceremony at the iconic San Siro stadium in Milan. US vice-president JD Vance and US secretary of state Marco Rubio are among the highest level international guests attending the games, and they met with the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, earlier today (15:43). Finally, Heavy rains and strong winds continued to batter parts of Spain and Portugal on Friday, causing at least one death, forcing the evacuation of more than 7,000 people and prompting calls to postpone the second-round of Portugal’s presidential election (13:14). TikTok could be forced into changes to make the app less addictive to users after the EU indicated the platform had breached the bloc’s digital safety rules (12:45). Norway’s economic crime police unit, Økokrim, said it has opened an investigation into former prime minister and chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee, Thorbjørn Jagland after the latest release of the so-called Epstein files (11:27). France and Canada are opening their consulates in Nuuk, Greenland as a sign of support for the territory amid continuing interest in controlling the semi-autonomous Danish territory from the current US administration (14:46). And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today. If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com. I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.

Iran’s foreign minister says talks with US were ‘ a very good start’ but are ‘over for now’ – as it happened

Iran and Oman have shared cautious optimism that negotiations between Iranian and US officials will continue, after both sides gathered in the Omani captial Muscat for indirect talks. The exact details of the negotiations remained unclear, but Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Aragchi, said the talks were limited to Tehran’s nuclear programme. “Our discussions are focused exclusively on the nuclear issue and we are not addressing any other subject with the Americans,” Araghchi told Iranian media. The US has been pushing for the negotiations to go beyond Iran’s nuclear programme and to cover its ballistic missiles and backing of regional militias, topics which Tehran said were off the table. The talks were the first between the US and Iran since June 2025, when the US joined Israel’s war against Iran and bombed its nuclear and military sites. It follows weeks of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, with US warships gathered near Iranian coastal waters, and nearly a month after a wave of nationwide protests swept across Iran against the clerical leadership.

Russian general Vladimir Alekseyev in critical condition after Moscow shooting

A top Russian military official who plays a major role in the country’s intelligence services has been taken to hospital after being shot in Moscow, state media has reported. Lt Gen Vladimir Alekseyev was shot several times on the stairwell of his apartment on Friday by an unknown gunman in the north-west of the city and is in critical condition, according to reports. Oleg Tsaryov, a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian figure close to Alekseyev said the general had undergone surgery and remained in a coma. No party has claimed responsibility for shooting Alekseyev, but suspicion in Moscow fell on Kyiv. Ukrainian intelligence agencies have targeted dozens of Russian military officers and Russian-installed officials since the start of the war, accusing them of involvement in war crimes. Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, called the shooting a “terrorist attack”, claiming without evidence it was intended to derail talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US to end the war. “This terrorist attack once again confirmed the Zelenskyy regime’s focus on constant provocations, aimed in turn at derailing the negotiation process,” Lavrov said in Moscow. The Ukrainian-born Alekseyev is a deputy director of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, a unit in the defence ministry known for organising covert operations abroad, including assassinations, sabotage and espionage. He was one of the top officers providing Vladimir Putin with intelligence for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He has also been widely described as a major figure overseeing the country’s private military companies and was among the senior officials dispatched to negotiate with Yevgeny Prigozhin during the Wagner group’s brief mutiny in the summer of 2023. After Prigozhin’s revolt, Alekseyev was widely believed to have fallen out of favour in Moscow and was reported to have been briefly detained over his links to Wagner, yet he ultimately retained his post.s. Alekseyev is under sanctions from Washington for his alleged involvement in efforts to interfere in the 2020 US presidential election. The UK also placed sanctions on him over the deadly 2018 novichok nerve agent attack in Salisbury. Without explicitly claiming responsibility, Denys Prokopenko, the commander of Ukraine’s Azov regiment, wrote on X that if Alekseyev survived the attack, he would “never sleep peacefully again”. “No war criminal who has killed and tortured Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, destroyed Ukrainian cities, abducted Ukrainian children, or committed other crimes against the Ukrainian people will ever feel safe,” Prokopenko added. The timing of the shooting was striking, coming a day after Russian and Ukrainian delegations – including Alekseyev’s direct superior, Igor Kostyukov – met in Abu Dhabi, where both sides spoke of apparent progress in the peace talks. Previous peace efforts have broken down over Russia’s maximalist territorial demands on Ukraine, with Moscow repeatedly rejecting Kyiv’s calls for an immediate ceasefire. Ukraine has targeted at least three Russian generals in the Moscow region over the past year, though such operations have typically involved explosives. Little is publicly known about the clandestine networks believed to be behind assassinations and attacks on military infrastructure inside Russia and in Russian-controlled territories. Alekseyev’s shooting will be seen as the latest failure of Russia’s security services to protect senior military personnel deep inside the country. While details of who carried out the attack and how it was organised remain unclear, Russian military bloggers have criticised apparent security lapses, questioning how a gunman was able to enter the apartment building undetected. Andrei Soldatov, an independent expert on Russia’s security services, called the attack “incredible sloppiness”. “One would have expected them to scale up protection for top military brass,” he wrote on social media.