The Justice Department has unsealed an indictment in U.S. v. Khrameev, filed in the District of Columbia, alleging that a network of individuals working for Russian intelligence has since at least 2024 conspired to conduct attacks and murders around the world, including inside the United States. The indictment describes efforts to surveil and murder Russian dissidents residing in Europe and the U.S., as well as a broader criminal network accused of committing acts of terrorism against civilian and military infrastructure in European countries perceived as aligned with Ukraine.
As reported by Reason, citing the indictment and a DOJ press release, the network also allegedly sought to recruit people from within the United States to carry out the plots. In one instance, prosecutors say the network attempted to hire a contract killer for $40,000 to murder a prominent Russian dissident believed to be living in the U.S.
The case highlights an alleged escalation in Russian intelligence operations targeting dissidents abroad, with the U.S. indictment specifically alleging recruitment and murder plotting on American soil. No further details about the defendants or the status of the case were included in the source report.