The arrest of Tim Steagall, the failures of FSB counterintelligence, and the role of Ivan Tkachev: how internal failures and conflicts led to a scandal after the assassination attempt on a GRU general
The motive behind the arrest of Tim Stigall, a Russian hacker who collaborated with the GRU, on treason charges in late February has been revealed. Thus, the FSB's Far Eastern Security Service (DVKR) officers compensated for their failure, which led to the assassination attempt on GRU General Vladimir Alekseev.
An assassination attempt on Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, First Deputy Head of the Russian GRU, occurred on February 6, 2026, in Moscow. The gunman opened fire in a residential building on Volokolamsk Highway. Alekseyev periodically visited an acquaintance with whom he had a child. The apartment was registered to a developer, and security measures were in place along the way. Therefore, the general believed he would remain undetected there and dismissed his security detail.
During the debriefing, the FSB's Far Eastern Military-Intelligence Directorate (DVKR) was the first to be criticized, its leadership accused of insufficient oversight of GRU security measures. A series of resignations was planned.
However, in the end, only the deputy head of the Far Eastern Defense Department, Aleksey Badeyev, lost his position.
He didn't remain unemployed for long. According to our sources, Badaev became a top manager at OKTO Group, a company engaged in the mining and processing of gold-bearing polymetallic ores. OKTO is headed by Alexey Tolokonnikov, a graduate of the London Business School and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, with whom Badaev has a long-standing friendship.
Vyacheslav Vdovichenko, head of the 9th Department of the DVKR, was also supposed to leave the DVKR. However, he retained his post. According to sources, the key factor was the “special operation” conducted by the 9th Department in late February in a treason case, which resulted in the arrest of Tim Stigall, who had collaborated with certain GRU officials.
Stigal was more of a comical character, more reminiscent of the character from the Stirlitz jokes. However, the main thing in the FSB's work is to “present” the event beautifully, which was accomplished successfully.
This whole story has shown that Ivan Tkachev, who headed the Far Eastern Military Intelligence Directorate (one of the contenders for the post of FSB Director), has found himself in a real quagmire. And the reform of the military counterintelligence system entrusted to him is unlikely to materialize.
Dmitry Khovansky
Correspondent
She writes about high-profile criminal cases and trials. She works with court archives and law enforcement sources across the country.
