Indictment charges five in alleged Russian plot to kill US dissident

An indictment unsealed Sept. 15, 2026, in Manhattan federal court charged five people, all at large and believed abroad, in an alleged Russian plot to kill a dissident believed living in Washington, D.C. A network operating since at least 2024 paid a Venezuelan Brooklyn resident to surveil two target-linked sites for $1,000 and $1,500; after photos and videos were sent, the resident declined $40,000 to eliminate or disappear the target, and other U.S. residents were then offered pay to finish. Charged: former Russian intelligence colonel Yuri Khrameev; son Kirill Khrameev of Russia's Federal Security Service; Cuban national Oemis Romagoza Durruthy; Yaidel Delgado Suarez and Angel Eduardo Castro in Russia. James C. Barnacle, Jr., said the FBI acted "through relentless work" against those who "conspired to intimidate, threaten, or murder people on U.S. soil and around the world." Darren B. Cox said partners "moved quickly to disrupt the plot and hold the Russian government accountable for its actions." Jamie McDonald said they "conspired to cause destruction and mayhem around the world, including right here in the United States." Officials also described alleged European infrastructure attack plans tied to Ukraine support. What is contested: No material factual disputes among rated outlets using the same indictment and FBI statements. Emphasis differs on the D.C. dissident versus wider U.S. and Europe plots. Unresolved: Five remain at large; no convictions reported.