The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) has publicly accused Russia of orchestrating plots to assassinate individuals allied with Ukraine, both within the US and across Europe. On Tuesday, charges were announced against five individuals purportedly linked to Russian Intelligence Services (RIS), who are alleged to have attempted to pay others to carry out these attacks.
Details of the Accusations
The DoJ’s statement highlights efforts by these men to target those either aligned with Ukraine or perceived to be so. Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the importance of preventing adversaries from bringing violence and terror to US soil. However, the accused individuals remain at large, with their whereabouts currently unknown.
Responding to these allegations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that Moscow would refrain from commenting until “credible evidence” or “tangible facts” are presented. The five men face charges of conspiracy to finance terrorism, which could result in up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The Suspects and Their Alleged Activities
Among those charged are three individuals identified as senior members of the RIS network: Yuri Khrameev, a former colonel in Russian intelligence, and his son Kirill Khrameev, an officer in the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). The third high-ranking figure is Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, a Cuban national described as an influential member of the Cuban diaspora in Russia.
Additionally, Yaidel Delgado Suarez and Angel Eduardo Castro are accused of recruiting US-based individuals to surveil and potentially murder a prominent Russian dissident residing in the US. The FBI’s James Barnacle stated that this group conspired to intimidate, threaten, or murder individuals both domestically and internationally.
Previous and Ongoing Threats
The DoJ detailed an incident from this summer where the RIS network allegedly recruited someone in the US to surveil and eventually assassinate a Russian dissident. Suarez reportedly offered significant sums for the recruit to eliminate the target, but the recruit did not follow through, leading Suarez to seek other recruits.
In another instance, Khrameev junior allegedly sought to recruit a US citizen to target an individual in Lithuania who was “telling lies about Russia.” His father, Khrameev senior, allegedly offered $25,000 for this mission.
The charges are not isolated incidents. Last month, Polish authorities detained a person allegedly plotting to murder an American-Ukrainian citizen in Warsaw, a plan reportedly linked to the Kremlin. Similarly, in 2024, US intelligence warned German authorities of a Russian plot targeting Armin Papperger, head of Germany’s largest arms company, Rheinmetall.
Context of the Accusations
These allegations arise amid a period of closer US-Russia relations following Donald Trump’s 2025 return to the presidency. Recently, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow for discussions with Russian intelligence, an unusual move that sparked speculation about its implications. President Trump described the meeting as “semi-routine,” while the Kremlin confirmed the talks had occurred.
