US charges Russians with financing terrorism and murder-for-hire plots

September 16, 2026 at 06:25 AM2 min

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The US Justice Department charged several Russian citizens in the Southern District of New York with financing terrorism and conspiring to commit murders worldwide, including in the US. The defendants allegedly operated as part of a global assassination network called RIS Network, working for Russian intelligence services. The charges were announced on Tuesday, September 15.

Key Facts

The US Justice Department announced charges on Tuesday, September 15, against several Russian citizens in the Southern District of New York.
The defendants are accused of financing terrorism and conspiring to commit murders worldwide, including in the United States.
The defendants allegedly operated as part of a global assassination network called RIS Network, working for Russian intelligence services.
Three of the defendants hold senior positions within RIS Network: Yuri Khrameev, his son Kirill Khrameev, and Oemis Romagoza Durruti.
The five named defendants face up to 20 years in prison on terrorism financing charges, and three also face up to 10 years for murder-for-hire conspiracy.

The Charges

The US Justice Department announced charges on Tuesday, September 15, against several Russian citizens in the Southern District of New York. The defendants are accused of financing terrorism and conspiring to commit murders worldwide, including in the United States. According to the indictment, the defendants paid individuals in the US and other countries for reconnaissance and targeted killings, and directed accomplices to commit or attempt terrorist attacks against civilian and military infrastructure in European countries supporting Ukraine. The FBI participated in the investigation.

RIS Network

The defendants allegedly operated as part of a global assassination network called RIS Network, which was active in the United States. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg stated that the defendants attempted to recruit US citizens and foreigners to commit murders on behalf of the Kremlin. ABC News reported, citing US Attorney General Todd Blanche, that the charges include attempts to murder a Russian dissident believed to be in Washington, DC. The US Justice Department described RIS Network as a unit of the Russian state apparatus responsible for attacks abroad, including killings, focusing on Russian dissidents and defectors, and recently on countries considered allies of Ukraine.

The Defendants

Three of the defendants hold senior positions within RIS Network: Yuri Khrameev, known as 'Colonel Yuri', a former colonel in Russian intelligence services involved in recruiting individuals for murders of Russian dissidents; his son Kirill Khrameev, an FSB officer; and Oemis Romagoza Durruti, a Cuban residing in Russia suspected of coordinating network attacks. Also among the suspects are Yaydel Delgado Suarez, a Cuban known as 'Viking', and Angel Eduardo Castro, a Venezuelan citizen, both suspected of recruiting people for network tasks. The five named defendants face up to 20 years in prison on terrorism financing charges. Yuri Khrameev, Suarez, and Castro also face up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. All defendants are currently at large.