The US Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that it has filed charges against five alleged Russian intelligence agents accused of conspiring to carry out attacks and assassinations worldwide, including plots targeting individuals within the United States. The suspects remain at large.
According to a department statement, the cell has been operational since at least 2024 and attempted to murder a prominent Russian dissident believed to be residing in the US this summer. While the target was not named, officials described the operation as part of a “global assassination network” with reach into American soil, said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg.
The three primary suspects identified are Yuri Khrameev, a 63-year-old former colonel in Russian intelligence; his 27-year-old son, Kirill Khrameev; and Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, a 35-year-old Cuban national. The remaining two defendants are Yaidel Delgado Suarez, also from Cuba, and Angel Eduardo Castro from Venezuela. Authorities allege that these two individuals functioned as recruiters within the United States.
The plot to kill the Russian dissident collapsed after an individual recruited for surveillance refused to proceed with the killing, despite being offered $40,000. A similar failure occurred last year regarding a murder attempt against a target in Lithuania who had been critical of Russia, according to the statement.
Beyond targeted killings, the indictment outlines plans to attack civilian and military infrastructure in European nations supporting Ukraine. “It is our job to stop America’s adversaries from unleashing violence and terror on American soil,” Attorney General Todd Blanche stated.
Are we sure this is the first time this network has been compromised? Internal failures suggest significant operational issues within the cell.
The fact that a recruit refused the hit for forty thousand dollars is both terrifying and darkly funny. People have limits.