U.S. Indicts 5 Men in $40,000 Russian Assassination Plot Reaching New York
Updated
Updated · The Center Square · Sep 16
U.S. Indicts 5 Men in $40,000 Russian Assassination Plot Reaching New York
3 articles · Updated · The Center Square · Sep 16
Summary
Five men were indicted in New York on charges tied to a Russian intelligence-backed network that prosecutors say sought killings in the U.S. and Europe; all remain at large.
The Justice Department said the network recruited people in the U.S. for surveillance and murder, including a summer plot offering $1,000-$1,500 for scouting and $40,000 to kill a prominent Russian dissident.
Three defendants — Yuri Khrameev, Kirill Khrameev and Oemis Romagoza Durruthy — are described as senior network figures, while Yaidel Delgado Suarez and Angel Eduardo Castro allegedly helped recruit U.S.-based operatives.
All five face conspiracy to finance terrorism charges carrying up to 20 years, and Yuri Khrameev, Suarez and Castro also face murder-for-hire conspiracy counts punishable by up to 10 years.
Prosecutors said the same network also arranged logistics for attacks in Prague and Lithuania, underscoring a broader campaign against Russian dissidents, defectors and countries seen as aligned with Ukraine.
How did a Cuban national become the mastermind behind a Russian intelligence assassination ring operating across Europe and the US?
With bounties as low as $25,000, how many other undetected hitmen are currently tracking dissidents on American soil?
Are the recent string of mysterious warehouse fires in Europe actually the work of Russian-funded proxy saboteurs?
The 2026 Manhattan Indictment: Inside Russia’s State-Backed Global Sabotage and Murder-for-Hire Network
Overview
The September 16, 2026 indictment revealed a Russian Intelligence Services (RIS) Network that orchestrated global assassination and sabotage plots using criminal proxies. In the U.S., Cuban and Venezuelan operatives recruited a Brooklyn resident to surveil a Russian dissident, escalating to a $40,000 murder offer, which was refused—prompting the network to seek other recruits. Similar tactics appeared in Europe, where failed assassination attempts led to proposals for industrial sabotage. The FBI’s investigation exposed these operations, leading to diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Russia, while highlighting the growing threat of hybrid warfare and the urgent need for international security reforms.