US Charges Five in Alleged Kremlin Assassination Plot Targeting DC Dissident
DOJ unseals indictment alleging Russian intelligence network paid recruits to surveil and kill a dissident in Washington and plotted attacks across Europe.
What to know
- DOJ unsealed an indictment against five people, all still at large, alleging they worked for a Kremlin-controlled 'global assassination network' active since at least 2024.
- The network allegedly offered a US-based recruit $40,000 to kill a prominent Russian dissident in Washington, D.C.; the recruit refused, and a similar $25,000 offer targeted a person in Lithuania.
- Officials say the network shifted from targeting Russian dissidents and defectors to countries and individuals perceived as allies of Ukraine.
- The disclosure has fueled online debate over the Trump administration's posture toward Russia, with critics contrasting the president's past friendly remarks about Putin against the alleged plot.
The dispute Whether the indictment reflects the administration effectively countering Russian threats, or exposes government slowness or even complicity in letting the threat develop. · positions read across 38 posts and comments
The plot exposes a contradiction between Trump's friendly rhetoric toward Putin and Russia's aggressive covert actions against the US.
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“While the delusional president dreams of being friends with the Russian Tzar, Trump's own security service unseals charges against 5 of Putin's secret agents for planning terror attacks and assassinations.”
randahl · Mastodon ↗
Russia is emboldened to attempt killings on US soil because it perceives Trump as weak on foreign policy.
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“russia is trying to murder people in washington DC, because trump is weak on foreign policy and they all know it [we know india is doing the same thing...]”
sky.skymarchini.net · Bluesky ↗
The plot should have been exposed sooner, and some suspect complicity or slow-walking within the administration.
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“it took them long enough though. it was obvious this shit has been going on for a while. once again telling the truth sooner could have helped a lot more a lot sooner.”
deaglebingo · reddit ↗
“extraordinary work by multiple FBI field offices, components, and partner agencies that collectively disrupted Russia's attempts to conduct violent acts in our nation's capital and throughout the United States”
Darren Cox, Head of FBI Washington, D.C. field office · The Guardian ↗ · Sep 14
James Barnacle Jr Head of FBI's New York field officeDarren Cox Head of FBI's Washington, D.C. field office
Todd Blanche US Attorney GeneralYuri Khrameev Alleged former Russian military intelligence officerFive unnamed defendants Charged Russian intelligence network members
How it unfolded 7 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments
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NBC News reports all five suspects remain at large
Broadcast coverage confirmed the Kremlin-orchestrated murder-for-hire plot allegation against a prominent Russian dissident in Washington, D.C., and noted that all five people charged have not been apprehended.
“The five people who were charged are still at large.”
— NBC News -
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U.S. Justice Department charges against five people working for Russia's intelligence services offer a look at Moscow's efforts to kill Russian dissidents and threaten European and U.S. security.
2 more of the top 3 · 8 posts in this stretch
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Counterintelligence services have disrupted a russian assassination plot in Washington DC. russia continues to grow bolder, encouraged by the weakness of the US convicted felon administration’s approach toward russia. $40,000 for a killing in the # usa and $25,000 in Lithuania: US authorities uncover russian intelligence network. One episode took…
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What's it like being such a rabid ideologue that you can't respond to a simple question and instead just deflect? Tell me. Why are russian attacks a declaration of war, but ukrainian bombs (such as the one in spain) aren't? The fact you don't even try and justify yourself says it all. You're not here for discussion, you're here to push a…
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Attorney General Todd Blanche announces the charges
Attorney General Todd Blanche formally announced that the Justice Department had filed the indictment against Russian citizens working for the country's intelligence agencies, part of what prosecutors called the 'RIS network.'
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Last year, a former military officer in the Russian intelligence services named Yuri Khrameev offered $25,000 to a US citizen to track and kill someone in Lithuania’s capital who was “telling lies about Russia,” according to US prosecutors.
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The Attorney General, Todd Blanche, announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has filed an indictment against several Russian citizens who worked for intelligence agencies of the aggressor country (the RIS network).
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Bloomberg identifies operative behind $25,000 Lithuania offer
Bloomberg reported that a former Russian military intelligence officer named Yuri Khrameev last year offered $25,000 to a US citizen to track and kill someone in Vilnius, Lithuania, accused of 'telling lies about Russia,' illustrating the network's activity beyond the US.
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first by Bloomberg Markets, 7d ago
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NPRIndictment calls network 'one arm' of Kremlin attack apparatus
NPR reported that the indictment describes the defendants as part of a network that is 'one arm of the Russian Federation's apparatus used to carry out external attacks' worldwide, operating since at least 2024 and shifting focus from Russian dissidents and defectors to nations perceived as allies of Ukraine.
“is one arm of the Russian Federation's apparatus used to carry out external attacks…”
— US indictment text -
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russia is trying to murder people in washington DC, because trump is weak on foreign policy and they all know it [we know india is doing the same thing...]
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Here’s what The Counteroffensive is reading today: # Russian # intelligence services planned targeted killings in countries allied with # Ukraine , including the U.S. and # EU . They also recruited people to disrupt European civilian and # military infrastructure. https://www. theguardian.com/us-news/2026/s ep/15/russia-us-killings-plot#
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A U.S. indictment links an alleged Russian intelligence network to sabotage cases in four European countries. The indictment names five alleged members and says they were preparing attacks on Russian opposition figures in the United States and Lithuania. 1/6
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Online commentary contrasts Trump's Putin rhetoric with plot
Social media reaction highlighted the contrast between President Trump's past friendly statements about Vladimir Putin and his own administration's charges against alleged Russian assassination operatives, with some users calling the disclosure overdue and others linking it to broader criticism of US Russia policy.
“While the delusional president dreams of being friends with the Russian Tzar, Trump's own security service unseals charges against 5 of Putin's secret agents for planning terror attacks and assassinations.”
— randahl@mastodon.social -
first by France 24, 8d ago · also RFE/RL, France 24 EN
1 more headline
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first by The New York Times, 7d ago
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Russia’s intelligence services are plotting to carry out targeted killings in the United States and in European nations supporting Ukraine, federal authorities said Tuesday as they announced charges against five people who remain at large. An indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court said a network of the intelligence services had paid and…
2 more of the top 3 · 13 posts in this stretch
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The US has charged five individuals in connection with what it called a “global assassination network” controlled by the Kremlin in a sweeping indictment that includes claims of a murder-for-hire plot on American soil.
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it took them long enough though. it was obvious this shit has been going on for a while. once again telling the truth sooner could have helped a lot more a lot sooner. but as always everyone must "stay in their lane"
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Indictment details rejected $40,000 offer to kill DC dissident
According to the indictment, a US resident recruited this summer was sent to surveil locations tied to the dissident, provided photos and video, and was then offered $40,000 to 'eliminate' or 'disappear' the target — an offer the recruit turned down, prompting the operative to seek other recruits.
“conspired to intimidate, threaten, or murder people on US soil and around the world…”
— James Barnacle Jr, Head of FBI New York field office · source -
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Indictment says FBI shut down Russian plot to kill U.S. individuals and target Ukraine supporters
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🔴 BREAKING Russia Plots Targeted Killings in US and Europe US federal authorities announced charges against five individuals linked to a Russian intelligence network allegedly plotting targeted killings in the United States and European nations supporting Ukraine. The indictment reveals that the network paid or attempted to pay individuals to…
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Hm. US. Department of Justice: Members of Russian Intelligence Services Network Charged with Conspiring to Finance Terrorism and Commit Murder for Hire in the United States https://www. justice.gov/opa/pr/members-rus sian-intelligence-services-network-charged-conspiring-finance-terrorism-and # USpol # Russia # terrorism
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DOJ unseals indictment charging five in Russian murder plot
Federal authorities in Manhattan unsealed an indictment against five people, still at large, alleging they worked for Russian intelligence services in a network that paid or tried to pay individuals in the US and other countries to surveil and kill targets, including a prominent Russian dissident believed to be living in Washington, D.C.
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first by Washington Examiner, 8d ago · also Straits Times, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Moscow Times EN
3 more headlines
- US charges 5 people in alleged Russian-backed murder plots Straits Times · 8d ago
- US charges five people over alleged Russian plots Al Jazeera · 8d ago
- United States Charges 5 People in Alleged Russian-Backed Murder Plots Moscow Times EN · 8d ago
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first by Semafor, 6d ago · also Reuters
1 more headline
- US charges five people in alleged Russian-backed murder plots Reuters · 3d ago
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U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced charges against alleged Russian intelligence workers over terrorism financing and murder plots, including one targeting a dissident believed to be in Washington. https:// meduza.io/en/news/2026/09/15/n…
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Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by Mastodon, 8d ago · also Politico Europe, Politico, Kyiv Independent
1 more headline
- US exposes alleged Russian terror network targeting Ukraine allies Politico Europe · 8d ago
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first by NY Post, 7d ago · also Fox News
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first by NPR News, 7d ago · also NPR Politics
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first by CBS News, 8d ago · also NPR
1 more headline
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first by Courthouse News, 8d ago · also Courthouse News Service
and 2 smaller pieces
What people are saying 13 voices from 3 sites · best of 38 · verbatim
- Sep 22
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If you can't offer a rational explanation for your cognitive dissonance, just call someone a bot. That'll solve everything.
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Trump not stopping this department of his FBI from from doing their routine job is not evidence that he is clean from Russian influence. If he does have special, personal agreements with the Russian government, he can't exactly be public about it for obvious reasons.
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This is what i mean when trump suckers cannot understand complex or variable information. Its gotta be the most basic, easy to understand and blatant evidence or theyre completely unable to grasp it. Constantly wrong and ignorant. On the plus side theyre also constantly the victim and unable to process elementary information.
- Sep 16
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You went from sanctions to assassination bounties faster than Bitcoin goes through a bad week…. And No one can touch Putin…
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Five individuals are facing serious criminal charges for allegedly being part of a Kremlin-backed assassination plot targeting a prominent Russian dissident in Washington, D.C....
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In a just world, the prompts fire and brimstone upon the Kremlin
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⚠️ Department of Justice charges five people in connection with alleged Russian plots involving surveillance, recruitment, and targeted killings
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🔴 BREAKING US Accuses Russia of Plotting to Kill Ukrainian Allies Abroad The FBI has announced that five men conspired to intimidate, threaten, or murder individuals on US soil and globally. The United States has formally accused Russia of orchestrating these plots against Ukrainian allies, highlighting an escalation in hybrid warfare tactics…
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🔴 BREAKING US Charges Five Alleged Russian Agents for Assassination Plots The US Department of Justice has charged five alleged Russian intelligence agents with conspiring to carry out assassination plots ordered by the Kremlin. The suspects are accused of recruiting a global network for these attacks and remain... 📰 http://www…
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Agent Krasnov and his butt-lickers are most likely helping the Russian agents...
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⚡ NEWS US Charges Five Individuals for Alleged Russian Intelligence Plots US prosecutors have charged five individuals with conspiring to carry out attacks and murders on behalf of Russian intelligence services. The charges indicate a coordinated effort by the group to execute violent operations under the direction of foreign... 📰 https://www…
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That's why Trump is having a tantrum, the NATO countries wouldn't join him in attacking Iran. Because he was attacking them.
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"I get along with Putin" While the delusional president dreams of being friends with the Russian Tzar, Trump's own security service unseals charges against 5 of Putin's secret agents for planning terror attacks and assassinations. On November 3, vote against naivety. https://www. justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/membe…