Russia plotted to kill dissident in Washington, DOJ says

Key Points:

• The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed charges against five individuals accused of being part of a Kremlin-run global assassination network that plotted to murder a Russian dissident in Washington, D.C., and carry out attacks in Europe aligned with Ukraine.
• The accused include former Russian intelligence colonel Yuri Khrameev, his son Kirill Khrameev (an FSB officer), and three Cuban and Venezuelan nationals alleged to have coordinated surveillance, recruitment, and logistics for targeted killings and terrorist acts.
• The FBI disrupted the plot this summer, preventing the assassination, with evidence showing attempts to recruit U.S. citizens and foreigners by offering substantial sums of money to carry out killings or sabotage infrastructure.
• The indictment alleges the network targeted dissidents in Lithuania and coordinated attacks in Prague and Lithuania, aiming to harm countries supporting Ukraine, with conspirators using coded language to discuss murder and sabotage.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations, demanding tangible evidence before commenting, while U.S. officials condemned the actions as violations of sovereignty and threats to national security.