--- title: "US Exposes Russian RIS Network That Recruited Hitmen for Assassinations of Ukraine Supporters" description: "The U.S. Department of Justice charged five men linked to Russian intelligence services and the RIS network with recruiting people for attacks and killings in the U.S. and Europe. All defendants face up to 20 years in prison." date: 2026-09-16T18:10:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-exposes-russian-ris-network-for-assassinations-of-ukraine-supporters tags: [us-justice-department, russia, ris-network, ukraine, fbi, terrorism] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # US Exposes Russian RIS Network That Recruited Hitmen for Assassinations of Ukraine Supporters ![Vladimir Putin against the Russian flag: US exposed Russian network RIS that recruited hitmen for assassinations of Ukraine supporters](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/17/ssha-razoblachili-set-ris-dlya-pokusheniy-na-storonnikov-ukrainy/ssha-razoblachili-set-ris-dlya-pokusheniy-na-storonnikov-ukrainy-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The U.S. Department of Justice charged five men linked to Russian intelligence services and the RIS network with conspiracy to finance terrorism (up to 20 years). - Three defendants are senior RIS members: Yuri and Kirill Khramaev and Cuban Oemis Romagosa Durruti; the other two are Suarez and Castro, recruiters in the U.S. - Investigators describe episodes of recruitment in the U.S. for surveillance and an assassination attempt on a dissident ($40,000) and in Lithuania ($25,000). - All defendants are at large, and their whereabouts are not disclosed; the case is at the charging stage. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the exposure of a network that American investigators link to Russian intelligence services and the RIS structure. According to Washington, members of this network recruited people in the United States and other countries to carry out attacks and killings against those who support Ukraine or are considered its supporters. Charges have been filed against five men. ### Charges and Network Structure All five defendants have been charged with conspiracy to finance terrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated: "Our mission is to prevent America's enemies from inciting violence and terror on American soil." FBI representative James Barnakl added that the network members conspired to intimidate, threaten, or kill people in the United States and other countries. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, three of the five defendants are senior members of the RIS network. ### Defendants in the Case Among the key defendants is 63-year-old Yuri Khramaev, described in the U.S. as a colonel in Russian intelligence services, and his 27-year-old son Kirill Khramaev, who is said to have served as an officer of the Russian FSB. The third "senior" participant is 35-year-old Cuban Oemis Romagosa Durruti, described as an influential member of the Cuban diaspora living in Russia who coordinated attacks for the RIS network. The other two defendants are 35-year-old Yaidel Delgado Suarez and 22-year-old Angel Eduardo Castro, who are charged with recruiting or attempting to recruit people in the United States. ### Recruitment and Assassination Episodes U.S. investigators describe several episodes. According to the Department of Justice, this summer Suarez recruited a person in the U.S. to surveil a Russian dissident living in the United States: the hitman was allegedly sent to two locations linked to the potential victim and given instructions on how to observe. Later, Suarez and Castro reportedly offered as much as $40,000 for the recruit to "eliminate" the dissident. After a failed attempt, Suarez, according to investigators, began searching for other people in the U.S., offering money for attacks on specific targets. A separate episode, according to the U.S. side, dates to 2025: Kirill Khramaev allegedly recruited a U.S. citizen to surveil and kill a person in Lithuania who, according to the case materials, was spreading information about Russia that Moscow considers false. The U.S. Department of Justice quotes Khramaev as expressing the intention to target "all countries that help Ukraine." His father, according to investigators, offered the recruit $25,000 to kill this person in Lithuania. Khramaev Sr., Suarez, and Castro have additionally been charged with conspiracy to commit a contract killing, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years. ### Reaction and Context in Europe Western experts warn that Russia may intensify sabotage and assassination attempts in NATO countries. In Germany, attacks have already been recorded on energy facilities, airports, defense enterprises, and government IT systems. The United Kingdom has separately stated the risk of new assassination attempts using chemical substances. In August 2026, a German court sentenced a Ukrainian to one year and three months in prison for preparing sabotage on behalf of the Russian Federation. ### Legal Status and Caveats As of the time of publication, all five defendants remain at large, and it is unknown exactly where they are located β€” in the United States or outside the country. The circumstances outlined above are presented according to the version of the U.S. investigation and have not yet been confirmed by a court verdict; the defendants retain the presumption of innocence until a court renders a decision. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [US Exposes Russian Network That Recruited People to Kill Ukraine Supporters](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-vikrili-merezhu-rf-ka-verbuvala-lyudey-1789581797.html) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Ρ€Π°Π·ΠΎΠ±Π»Π°Ρ‡Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ сСти, обвинСния пяти Ρ„ΠΈΠ³ΡƒΡ€Π°Π½Ρ‚ΠΎΠ² ΠΈ связь с российскими спСцслуТбами. - [Hunters for Ukraine Supporters: US Unveils Kremlin's Network of Assassins](https://from-ua.org/news/704222-oxotniki-za-storonnikami-ukrainy-ssa-raskryli-set-ubiic-na-sluzbe-kremlia.html) - БогласуСтся с вСрсиСй ΠΎ Π²Π΅Ρ€Π±ΠΎΠ²ΠΊΠ΅ исполнитСлСй для Π½Π°ΠΏΠ°Π΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠΉ Π½Π° сторонников Π£ΠΊΡ€Π°ΠΈΠ½Ρ‹. - [U.S. DOJ: Network Linked to Russian Intelligence Prepared Killings of Opposition Figures in the U.S. and ...](https://www.newsru.co.il/world/17sep2026/us_rus_119.html) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Π΄Π΅Ρ‚Π°Π»ΠΈ эпизодов ΠΈ состав обвиняСмых. - [US Unveils Network Linked to Russian Intelligence That Prepared Killings and Sabotage in ...](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%8F/20260916-%D1%81%D1%88%D0%B0-%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%8B%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D1%81%D0%B2%D1%8F%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%83%D1%8E-%D1%81-%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8-%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%86%D1%81%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8-%D1%81%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%8F-%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B0-%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0-%D0%B8-%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%88%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B5-%D0%B8-%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D1%8E%D1%81%D0%B5) - БогласуСтся с описаниСм эпизодов Π² БША ΠΈ Π›ΠΈΡ‚Π²Π΅ ΠΈ контСкстом дивСрсий Π² Π•Π²Ρ€ΠΎΠΏΠ΅. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How many people did the U.S. Department of Justice charge? **A:** Charges have been filed against five men linked to Russian intelligence services and the RIS network; three of them, according to the U.S. side, are senior members of the network. ### Q: What punishment do the defendants face? **A:** Under the conspiracy-to-finance-terrorism charge β€” up to 20 years in prison. Khramaev Sr., Suarez, and Castro have additionally been charged with conspiracy to commit a contract killing β€” up to 10 years. ### Q: Where are the defendants now? **A:** All five defendants remain at large; their exact location β€” in the U.S. or abroad β€” is not disclosed.