The United States Department of Justice has unsealed charges against five individuals alleged to be part of a global network operating on behalf of Russian intelligence services. These individuals are accused of orchestrating plots involving terrorism financing, surveillance, and murder-for-hire, with some operations extending to U.S. soil and NATO-allied countries.
According to the indictment unsealed Tuesday, the five defendants—Yuri Khrameev, a 63-year-old former Russian intelligence colonel, his son Kirill Khrameev, 27, Cuban nationals Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, 35, and Yaidel Delgado Suarez, 35, and Venezuelan national Angel Eduardo Castro, 22—are all believed to reside in Russia and remain at large. The charges include conspiracy to finance terrorism, with Khrameev, Suarez, and Castro also facing charges for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.
The alleged plots targeted Kremlin critics and dissidents abroad, aiming to stifle opposition and suppress narratives critical of Russia. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg stated that these actions constitute a “gross violation of our sovereignty and a threat to our national security,” emphasizing that the U.S. will not permit foreign intelligence services to operate freely within its borders.
Information available with The Chenab Times indicates that the network, referred to as the “RIS Network,” allegedly paid individuals within the United States and other locations to conduct pre-operational surveillance and carry out targeted killings. In one instance detailed in the indictment, a Venezuelan operative and a Cuban operative allegedly recruited a resident of Brooklyn, New York, to surveil and potentially assassinate a Russian dissident. They offered the recruit between $1,000 and $1,500 for surveillance, with an additional $40,000 for the target’s “elimination” or “disappearance.”.
The indictment further details attempts to recruit U.S. citizens for sensitive operations. Last year, Yuri Khrameev allegedly offered a U.S. citizen $25,000 to kill an individual in Lithuania who was deemed to be “spreading dirt about my country” and falsely portraying Russians as aggressors. The younger Khrameev reportedly met with the U.S. citizen near the Estonia-Russia border to facilitate the operation.
Beyond alleged U.S.-based activities, the RIS Network is also accused of involvement in facilitating failed arson attacks in Europe. This includes an attempt to set fire to buses in the Czech Republic and a plot against a Lithuanian facility that supplies radio equipment to Ukraine. Lithuanian and Czech officials have previously attributed these attacks to Russia.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, stated that the nation will not tolerate efforts to finance terrorist activities and engage in violence, particularly when commissioned by state actors and impacting American soil. The Department of Justice reiterated its commitment to prosecuting such activities and ensuring that those involved face severe legal consequences.
Russia has a history of denying allegations of conducting such plots on foreign soil, including within the United States. This latest indictment marks a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to counter alleged transnational repression and foreign interference operations.
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Global Affairs Desk at The Chenab Times covers international developments, global diplomacy, and foreign policy issues through fact-based reporting, explainers, and analytical pieces. The desk focuses on major geopolitical events, diplomatic engagements, and international trends, with an emphasis on verified information, multiple perspectives, and contextual understanding of global affairs.
