U.S. State Department: Russian Intelligence Plans Targeted Killings in the U.S. and Europe

Russian intelligence services are alleged to have planned targeted killings in the United States and several European countries that support Ukraine. This accusation is made by the U.S. Department of Justice, which has charged five individuals currently on the run. Investigators claim that a network linked to Russian intelligence paid, or attempted to pay, individuals in the U.S. and other countries to monitor and eliminate selected targets. This network is also said to have been involved in recruiting accomplices to carry out or attempt acts of terrorism against civilian and military infrastructure in Europe.

The activities are attributed to the so-called "Ris Network," described by the Department of Justice as the arm responsible for conducting offensive operations abroad. According to the charges, the network has been active since at least 2024, initially targeting Russian dissidents and defectors, and more recently focusing on countries allied with Ukraine.

Among those charged are Yuri Kharameev, Kirill Khrameev, and Oemis Romagoz Durruthy, identified as high-ranking members of the network. The other two defendants, Yaidel Delgado Suarez and Eduardo Castro, allegedly assisted in recruiting U.S. residents tasked with monitoring and attempting to kill a prominent Russian dissident.

"The defendants are alleged to have operated within a global assassination network extending into the United States," stated U.S. Deputy Attorney General John A. Eisenberg. "We will reject any attempt by foreign intelligence services to operate freely in our country," he added. The charges will now be reviewed by the American justice system. The defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.