US charges five people in alleged Russian-backed murder plots

US Charges Five in Russian-Backed Plots Involving Targeted Killings, DOJ Reports

Details of the DOJ Indictment and Alleged Russian Plots

By Christian Martinez

Overview of the Charges

Sept 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice has charged five people in connection with alleged Russian plots involving surveillance, recruitment and targeted killings, according to an indictment unsealed on Tuesday.

The five people allegedly worked for Russian intelligence services to "conduct attacks and murders around the world, including in the United States," the DOJ said in the indictment, adding the individuals were still at large.

Individuals Charged and Specific Allegations

Names and Nationalities of the Accused

The DOJ said Russian national Yuri Khrameev, 63; his son, Kirill Khrameev, 27; Cuban nationals Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, 35, and Yaidel Delgado Suarez, 35; and Venezuelan national Angel Eduardo Castro, 22, were charged with an alleged conspiracy to finance terrorism. Khrameev, Suarez, and Castro were also charged with conspiracy to commit murder for hire.

Kremlin Response

"Until we hear and see any credible evidence and arguments based on tangible facts, we do not believe it is necessary to comment on these reports," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

Russia has previously denied conducting such plots on foreign soil, including in the United States. 

Details of the Alleged Plots

Targeted Individuals and Recruitment Efforts

Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters the plots included "efforts to murder a Russian dissident who investigators believed was located in the Washington, D.C., area."

According to the Justice Department, the network allegedly recruited multiple people in the United States to provide surveillance on Russian dissidents, including one living in the U.S. and one in Lithuania.

Financial Offers for Targeted Killings

One recruit was allegedly offered "$40,000 to 'eliminate' or 'disappear'" a person residing in the U.S., according to the Justice Department. Last year, another U.S. recruit was allegedly offered $25,000 to kill a person living in Lithuania, it said.

(Reporting by Christian Martinez; Editing by Michael Perry and Tomasz Janowski)