US Charges Five in Kremlin-Linked Assassination Network Case

The US Department of Justice has charged five individuals in connection with what it called a global assassination network controlled by the Kremlin, a sweeping indictment that includes allegations of a murder-for-hire plot on American soil. The charges mark a rare public instance of an alleged Russian-backed assassination conspiracy in the United States, and they come as Moscow has escalated covert operations against dissidents and European infrastructure since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The defendants, identified as Russian, Cuban, and Venezuelan nationals, were paid to conduct surveillance and plotted to kill dissidents in the US and Lithuania, according to the indictment. The group also targeted military and civilian infrastructure in European countries supportive of Ukraine. Jamie McDonald, New York’s top federal prosecutor, said the defendants, working for the intelligence services of Russia, conspired to cause destruction and mayhem around the world, including in the United States. The defendants remain at large, and the Justice Department said the network, known as RIS, had operated since at least 2024.

The indictment names Yuri Khrameev, Kirill Khrameev, Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, Yaidel Delgado Suarez, and Angel Eduardo Castro, all charged with participating in a conspiracy to finance terrorism. Yuri Khrameev, Suarez, and Castro face an additional charge of conspiracy to commit murder for hire. Suarez, described by prosecutors as a prolific recruiter for RIS, allegedly sought to enlist US-based individuals for surveillance and targeted killings. He and Castro are accused of offering a US resident $40,000 to eliminate or disappear an unnamed prominent Russian dissident believed to be living in the US. The resident agreed to take pictures of the target but declined to carry out the killing.

A similar pattern emerged in a separate alleged plot. Yuri Khrameev is accused of recruiting an individual living in the US to assassinate a dissident in Lithuania whom he accused of spreading dirt about his country. Khrameev allegedly offered $25,000 for the killing and suggested methods including throwing a bottle of gasoline or sticking a knife in the person. The US-based individual refused, according to charging papers, because they believed there was no way to carry out the killing without being caught.

The indictment sits within a broader pattern of Russian covert activity. Moscow has intensified efforts to target its critics and disrupt European support for Ukraine since launching the invasion in 2022. This year, Russian sabotage attempts against critical infrastructure and logistics hubs in Europe have appeared to escalate. German officials earlier this month blamed Moscow after an explosive-laden drone was discovered near a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig airport.

The charges also arrive alongside a stated shift in US enforcement priorities. Attorney-general Todd Blanche touted the administration’s counterterrorism efforts on Tuesday, citing FBI data showing a 38 percent increase in arrests related to foreign terrorist organizations compared with the prior administration. The figure, presented alongside the indictment, suggests the Justice Department is framing Russian covert operations within a broader terrorism threat picture.

The case raises questions about the reach of Russian intelligence networks and the vulnerability of dissidents abroad. The alleged plots relied on hired operatives and US-based recruits, indicating a willingness to outsource violence to non-Russian nationals. That the defendants remain at large underscores the difficulty of disrupting such networks, even when their activities are uncovered. For policymakers, the indictment is a reminder that Russian covert operations extend beyond Europe and into the United States, and that the response will require sustained coordination between intelligence, law enforcement, and diplomatic channels.