FSB Officer Shot Dead in Moscow Ministry of Defense Building

An officer from the FSB counterintelligence department, Vladimir Feshchenko, was shot and killed in a building belonging to the Ministry of Defense in central Moscow – his body discovered early Tuesday morning, Jan. 14, Russian media reported.

Sources, cited by the Russian “RBK” media outlet,  say the incident happened after a heated argument with another man.

Feshchenko, who was also a Russian kettlebell-lifting champion, died from a gunshot wound to the head, media reported. Investigators believe the dispute started over a personal conflict with a military officer.

The suspect has been arrested and confessed to the crime. A murder case has been opened, but authorities are also looking into whether the shooting was accidental, reports said.

The incident reportedly occurred late on Monday, Jan. 13 at a Ministry of Defense building on Olkhovskaya Street, which houses several military offices, including the FSB’s Moscow Military District directorate.

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According to RBK sources, Feshchenko had invited an old colleague, an ensign he once served with in the far east, to the office. The colleague was supposed to catch a train later that night.

Feshchenko told his family he’d be home late, planning to spend time with his friend. Hours later, he was found dead at his workplace, covered in blood, with a fatal wound to his head.

The suspect was caught quickly and confessed to the killing. Investigators from the FSB and the military are now trying to piece together what led to the murder.