--- title: "Russia Planned Assassinations of Kasparov and Ponomarev in the US, - El Mundo" description: "Russian intelligence agencies prepared assassinations of Garry Kasparov, Ilya Ponomarev, and Vladimir Kara-Murza in the US and EU, El Mundo reported." date: 2026-09-30T14:52:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russia-planned-assassinations-of-kasparov-and-ponomarev-in-the-us tags: [garry-kasparov, ilya-ponomarev, vladimir-kara-murza, el-mundo, fsb, assassination-plot, usa] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Russia Planned Assassinations of Kasparov and Ponomarev in the US, - El Mundo ![Russian intelligence agencies prepared assassination attempts against opposition figures in the US and EU](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/30/rossiya-planirovala-ubiystvo-kasparova-i-ponomareva-v-ssha/rossiya-planirovala-ubiystvo-kasparova-i-ponomareva-v-ssha-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Russian special services prepared assassinations of Kasparov, Ponomarev, and Kara-Murza. - Assassinations were planned in the US and Lithuania; recruitment began in 2025. - Organizers named as ex-colonel Khrameev and his FSB officer son. - The US DOJ previously exposed a sabotage network that recruited agents. Russian intelligence agencies spent several months meticulously preparing the physical elimination of prominent opposition figures Garry Kasparov, Ilya Ponomarev, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, who were located in the United States and European countries. According to the authoritative publication El Mundo, a large-scale operation was developed simultaneously against several key figures of the Russian political emigration who strongly criticize the Kremlin regime. ### Details of Preparation and Geography of Assasination Attempts The attackers' plans covered several countries at once. In particular, the liquidation of Ponomarev and Kasparov was to take place directly on US territory. The threat to Garry Kasparov's life was assessed by US authorities as so high that the famous opposition figure was provided with official state security. The third potential victim was to be Vladimir Kara-Murza, whose assassination was planned to be carried out in the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, where the criminals intended to stab the politician or douse him with gasoline and set him on fire. ### Expanded Target List and Recruitment of Perpetrators In addition, Garry Kasparov's associate Ivan Tyutrin and well-known Bashkir activist Ruslan Gabbasov came into the sight of Russian intelligence agencies. The recruitment process for the direct perpetrators of the crimes started back in 2025. For committing contract killings, the organizers offered a modest reward by the standards of such operations, amounting to $25,000 USD. To implement its plans, the network involved an international composition of agents, including two Cuban citizens and one Venezuelan citizen. ### Exposing the Sabotage Network by the US Department of Justice Earlier, the US Department of Justice officially announced the large-scale exposure of a deeply concealed sabotage group. The organization actively recruited people to carry out surveillance, contract killings, and sabotage in countries that are strategic allies of Ukraine. The criminal cell was headed by former Russian intelligence colonel Yuri Khrameev, who worked with Vladimir Putin in his youth, and his son Kirill, an active officer of the Federal Security Service. ### Contradictory Data Despite official statements from the US Department of Justice and investigations by leading European media outlets, the details of the cell's coordination in EU countries and the exact degree of participation of each recruited foreign citizen cause discussions among security experts. While Western intelligence agencies insist on a direct connection between the agents and the highest leadership of Russian security agencies, the Russian side traditionally refrains from official comments regarding accusations of preparing liquidations abroad, and all investigation figures are currently successfully hiding in the Russian Federation. ### Consequences and Expert Assessment The disclosure of this assassination network has become another confirmation that Russian intelligence agencies continue attempts to physically eliminate political opponents far beyond the country's borders. Experts note that the tightening of security measures in the US and EU countries forces emigrants to change their usual way of life, but the scale of the threat remains extremely high, requiring an unprecedented level of coordination between Western counterintelligence agencies. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Россия планировала убийство Каспарова и Пономарева в США, - El Mundo](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiya-planuvala-vbivstvo-kasparova-ta-ponomarova-1790779550.html) - Основной факт о подготовке убийств Каспарова и Пономарева в США подтвержден. - [Российские агенты из раскрытой в США сети планировали убить Каспарова – СМИ](https://ru.krymr.com/a/news-rossiyskiye-agenty-set-ssha-ubiystvo-kasparova/33867300.html) - Подтверждена информация о раскрытии агентурной сети в США. - [El Mundo: российские спецслужбы планировали убить Гарри Каспарова и Илью Пономарева, чтобы ...](https://zona.media/news/2026/09/30/kasparov-ponomarev) - Детали расследования испанского издания El Mundo. - [El Mundo: российские спецслужбы готовили убийство Гарри Каспарова](https://rus.postimees.ee/8555567/el-mundo-rossiyskie-specsluzhby-gotovili-ubiystvo-garri-kasparova) - Подтверждены данные об угрозе жизни Гарри Каспарову и выделении охраны. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Who were the targets of the Russian special services? **A:** The targets of the assassinations were opposition figures Garry Kasparov, Ilya Ponomarev, Vladimir Kara-Murza, as well as Ivan Tyutrin and Ruslan Gabbasov. ### Q: Where were the assassination attempts planned to take place? **A:** Assassination attempts against Kasparov and Ponomarev were planned in the US, and against Kara-Murza in Vilnius (Lithuania). ### Q: Who led the sabotage cell? **A:** The organizers of the cell are named as former colonel Yuri Khrameev and his son, active FSB officer Kirill Khrameev.