Conflict & Security
US charges five in alleged Russian intelligence murder plots
September 16, 2026 at 07:59 AM · Updated 30d ago
Coverage
3 reports · over 11 hours
BNBBC News
DoJ accuses Russia of trying to kill Ukraine allies in US and Europe
(opens the publisher’s site)
AJAl Jazeera English
US charges five people over alleged Russian plots
(opens the publisher’s site)
TGThe Guardian
Russia plotting to kill targets in US and Europe, federal officials say
(opens the publisher’s site)The US Justice Department has unsealed an indictment charging five people with working for Russian intelligence to carry out attacks and killings around the world, including in the United States.
- Prosecutors said the five defendants, who remain at large, were charged with conspiring to finance terrorism, with three also charged with conspiring to commit murder for hire.
- Attorney General Todd Blanche said the plots included attempts to kill a Russian dissident believed to be living in the Washington, DC area.
- The indictment alleges the network recruited a US-based individual to surveil a Russian dissident and offered $40,000 to murder the target, an offer the recruit declined.
- Moscow has not commented on the case, and Russia has consistently rejected accusations that it carried out assassinations on foreign soil.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow will not comment until it sees credible evidence or tangible facts in the case.
- Prosecutors said the indictment alleges the network's recruitment efforts extended to Lithuania.