Russian-Linked Murder-for-Hire Charges
Justice Department Charges Five in Russian-Linked Plot Targeting U.S. and European Dissidents
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Key Points
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The indictment identifies the organization as the “RIS Network,” describing it as an arm of the Russian Federation’s apparatus for external attacks that has focused on dissidents, defectors and countries viewed as allies of Ukraine.
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Prosecutors allege the network separately sought to recruit a U.S. citizen to kill someone in Lithuania last year, indicating that its operations in Europe predated the alleged U.S. plot.
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According to the indictment, after the Brooklyn resident declined to kill the dissident, a Cuban recruiter pressed for an alternative operative, writing: “I only need a response to know if someone can do the work.”
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Prosecutors described Cuban national Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, who lives in Russia, as part of the network’s leadership, while Cuban national Yaidel Delgado Suarez and Venezuelan national Angel Eduardo Castro were allegedly responsible for finding and recruiting operatives in the United States.
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The case was brought in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and FBI Washington Field Office chief Darren B. Cox said the investigation had “disrupted Russia’s attempts to conduct violent acts in our nation’s capital and throughout the United States.”
The Justice Department charged five alleged members of a Russian intelligence network accused of plotting murders, financing terrorism, and targeting civilians across Europe and the United States. Republic World reported that former Russian intelligence colonel Yuri Khrameev and his son Kirill led the operation, which prosecutors say recruited a Brooklyn resident this summer to photograph a prominent Russian dissident near Washington, offering $1,000 to $1,500 for surveillance and $40,000 to kill or abduct the target.
All five defendants, including Cuban and Venezuelan nationals, are believed to be abroad and remain at large. United24media noted the network operated since at least 2024, conducting reconnaissance and recruitment across multiple countries. The FBI said the charges disrupt Russia's attempts to conduct violent acts in the U.S. capital and throughout the nation.
Brooklyn Resident Declines $40,000 Killing Offer
Prosecutors say Cuban and Venezuelan operatives recruited the Brooklyn resident by offering cash for surveillance photos. Moscow Times reported the target was a Russian dissident believed to live near Washington. The recruit provided photographs and videos but refused to carry out the murder. After the refusal, operatives allegedly pressured the recruit to find another operative, with a Cuban recruiter writing: "I only need a response to know if someone can do the work."
Russian Intelligence Network Operating Across Continents
Prosecutors identified the organization as the "RIS Network," describing it as an arm of Russia's apparatus for external attacks focused on dissidents, defectors, and Ukraine supporters. ANI News reported the network separately sought to recruit a U.S. citizen to kill someone in Lithuania, indicating European operations predated the American plot. The charges show a coordinated campaign spanning multiple countries and recruitment methods.
Cuban national Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, who lives in Russia, served as part of the network's leadership. Democrata noted that Cuban Yaidel Delgado Suarez and Venezuelan Angel Eduardo Castro were responsible for finding and recruiting operatives in the United States. The network's structure shows layers of coordination between Russian handlers and foreign recruiters.
FBI Disrupts Alleged Russian Assassination Attempts in Capital
The case was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. FBI Washington Field Office chief Darren B. Cox said the investigation had "disrupted Russia's attempts to conduct violent acts in our nation's capital and throughout the United States." U.S. officials labeled the network a threat to national security and American sovereignty. Prosecutors emphasized the charges are allegations, not convictions, and all defendants remain at large.
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