The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment late Tuesday charging five men with participating in a Russian-directed network that allegedly recruited U.S. citizens and foreign nationals for surveillance and murder-for-hire operations, including a foiled plot to kill a dissident in Washington, D.C., and a second scheme targeting a dissident believed to be in Lithuania.
All five defendants remain at large. The FBI said it disrupted the Washington operation, though it did not disclose how.
The Defendants and the Charges
Those charged include Yuri Khrameev, 63, a Russian national described by prosecutors as a former colonel in Russian intelligence; his son, Kirill Khrameev, 27, an alleged FSB officer; Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, 35, a Cuban national described as an influential member of the Cuban diaspora in Russia; Yaidel Delgado Suarez, 35, also known as “Viking,” a Cuban national; and Angel Eduardo Castro, 22, a Venezuelan national. Suarez and Castro reside in Russia.
Each defendant faces a charge of conspiracy to finance terrorism. Yuri Khrameev, Suarez, and Castro also face conspiracy to commit murder for hire.
According to the indictment, the network has been active since at least 2024 and is accused not only of plotting killings but also of orchestrating acts of terrorism against European infrastructure. The DOJ described the operation as brazen, aggressive, and far-reaching, aimed at causing destruction and mayhem worldwide.
The Washington Plot
The indictment alleges that this summer, conspirators recruited a Venezuelan citizen living in Brooklyn to conduct surveillance on two locations in Washington, D.C., in connection with a plan to kill a dissident. The recruit was paid between $1,000 and $1,500 for the surveillance, which involved instructions to place his phone in airplane mode and film while passing the target’s house.
Suarez allegedly offered the recruit $40,000 to carry out the murder. The recruit declined and was then asked whether he knew anyone else who might take the job. Suarez later claimed that people in Mexico could perform the killing but were delayed. Investigators say the conspirators used the code word “construction” when referring to the murder.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said the network reached into the United States to recruit individuals for Kremlin-directed killings. He added that such actions violate U.S. sovereignty and threaten national security.
James C. Barnacle Jr., who heads the FBI’s New York office, said the bureau disrupted the operation through work and partnership. The indictment does not name the intended victim in Washington.
The Lithuania Plot and European Attacks
A second plot targeted a dissident believed to be in Lithuania. According to the indictment, the motive was the dissident’s derogatory statements about Russia. A U.S. citizen was paid $200 in 2025 to photograph the target’s address in Lithuania. The same individual was later offered about $25,000 to kill the target.
After that person refused, Yuri Khrameev allegedly proposed a simpler job: committing arson at a warehouse or attacking an electricity substation. Khrameev reportedly said the purpose was to target countries aiding Ukraine.
Durruthy is accused of coordinating logistics for two attacks: one in Prague in June 2024 and another in Lithuania in September 2024. The Lithuania case involved attempts to burn military equipment destined for Ukraine. Lithuanian authorities had already named Durruthy as wanted in January, according to the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT.
Kremlin Response and Broader Context
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would not comment without tangible evidence. Russia has consistently denied Western accusations of involvement in foreign killings over the years.
The case is part of what the DOJ describes as a wider Russian intelligence operation that recruits both Americans and foreigners for spying and killing. The FBI’s disruption of the Washington plot, while not detailed, prevented what officials called a direct threat on U.S. soil.
All five defendants are still being sought. The investigation remains ongoing.
