The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging five individuals with operating a global assassination network on behalf of Russian intelligence services. These individuals allegedly conducted surveillance, recruitment, and planned targeted killings worldwide, including within the United States. The network's activities have reportedly been ongoing since at least 2024, focusing on Russian dissidents, defectors, and nations perceived to be aligned with Ukraine. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the charges are part of an effort to prevent adversaries from unleashing violence on American soil.
The charged individuals are Russian nationals Yuri Khrameev, 63, and his son Kirill Khrameev, 27; Cuban nationals Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, 35, and Yaidel Delgado Suarez, 35; and Venezuelan national Angel Eduardo Castro, 22. Yuri Khrameev, described as a former colonel in Russian intelligence, and Kirill Khrameev, an officer in the Federal Security Service (FSB), are considered high-ranking members of the network. Durruthy is identified as an influential member of the Cuban diaspora in Russia who coordinated attacks, while Suarez is a prolific recruiter, and Castro participated in recruiting U.S.-based individuals. All five remain at large.
The indictment details several alleged plots, including an attempt this summer to murder a prominent Russian dissident in the United States. Suarez and Castro reportedly offered one recruit between $1,000 and $1,500 for pre-operational surveillance and then $40,000 to "eliminate" the target. Another alleged plot involved Kirill Khrameev recruiting a U.S. citizen in 2025 to surveil and then Yuri Khrameev offering $25,000 to murder an individual in Lithuania, described as someone "telling lies about Russia." When the U.S. citizen declined the murder, Yuri Khrameev suggested simpler tasks like setting fires to warehouses or electrical substations in countries helping Ukraine.
The network is also accused of coordinating acts of terrorism overseas. Oemis Romagoza Durruthy allegedly coordinated an attack in Prague, Czechia, in June 2024, and another in Lithuania in September 2024, by facilitating travel and communication for participants. The charges include conspiracy to finance terrorism, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder for hire, which carries a maximum of 10 years. Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg emphasized that such actions are a gross violation of sovereignty and a threat to national security, pledging to aggressively pursue those involved.
