FBI says Russia plotted killings of Ukraine allies in the United States and Europe
Federal authorities in the United States say Russian intelligence services plotted targeted killings in the United States and in European countries supporting Ukraine. An indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday alleges that a network linked to the Russian Federation's intelligence services paid, or tried to pay, people to surveil targets and then kill them. Officials also said the same network sought to recruit people for acts of terrorism against civilian and military infrastructure in Europe.
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The case involves five people who remain at large, according to the indictment. Authorities said the network had been active since at least 2024 and had carried out attacks and murders around the world, including inside the United States. The release said the group had previously focused on Russian dissidents and defectors, but more recently had targeted countries perceived to be allies of Ukraine.
James Barnacle Jr, who heads the FBI's New York office, said the bureau disrupted the plans through what he described as relentless work. Darren Cox, who heads the FBI's Washington office, said multiple field offices, components and partner agencies worked together to stop what he called Russia's attempts to carry out violent acts in the nation's capital and across the country. He said the threat was identified and quickly disrupted, with the aim of holding the Russian government accountable.
The allegations add to long-running concerns in Western capitals about covert action linked to Moscow's intelligence services beyond the battlefield in Ukraine. The indictment says the network was one arm of the Russian Federation's apparatus for external attacks, including murder, around the world. If proven, the case would point to an effort not only to intimidate perceived opponents, but also to extend the conflict's reach into countries backing Kyiv.
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The filing also suggests the network was trying to widen its pool of recruits in the United States. Authorities said members of the group had recently tried to recruit multiple people in the country, and that one person based in the United States was recruited this summer. The indictment does not say in the supplied material who the intended targets were, or whether any attack was carried out before the plot was disrupted.
What remains unclear is the full identity of the five people charged, the scope of the alleged network, and the specific targets in the United States and Europe. It is also not clear from the supplied material how far the recruitment efforts progressed before the FBI intervened. The case is likely to be watched closely for any further details on the alleged links between Russian intelligence services and attempted violence on Western soil.
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