U.S. Charges Russians Over Alleged Terror Financing Network Linked to Moscow

U.S. prosecutors have accused several Russian nationals and associates of financing terrorism and conspiring to carry out contract killings around the world, including on U.S. soil, in a case that could further harden Western policy toward Moscow and add to the long-term economic costs of Russia’s confrontation with Ukraine’s allies.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, the alleged activity was tied to RIS Network, which prosecutors describe as operating on behalf of Russian intelligence services. The network, according to U.S. authorities, financed attacks against countries allied with Ukraine and prepared assassinations of Russian dissidents.

The charges were filed in the Southern District of New York and announced in a Justice Department press release on Tuesday, September 15. The accused are suspected of terrorism financing and conspiracy to commit contract killings worldwide, including in the United States. U.S. authorities said the defendants worked for Russian special services. The FBI participated in the investigation.

Security Allegations With Economic Consequences

The indictment, as summarized by the Justice Department, alleges that the defendants paid individuals in the United States and other countries to conduct preliminary reconnaissance and carry out targeted killings. Prosecutors also allege that the defendants instructed accomplices to commit, and attempt to commit, terrorist attacks against civilian and military infrastructure in European countries that support Ukraine or are perceived to support it.

For senior policymakers and corporate decision-makers, the case is significant not only as a criminal prosecution but as another data point in the expanding security risk environment surrounding Russia’s war in Ukraine. Allegations of state-linked violence, sabotage or coercion outside Russia can influence sanctions policy, law-enforcement coordination, infrastructure protection, insurance costs and investment risk assessments across Europe and North America.

The Justice Department said the accused operated within RIS Network, described as a global assassination organization that also conducted activity inside the United States. John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said the defendants sought to recruit U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to carry out killings on behalf of the Kremlin.

They “attempted to recruit U.S. citizens and foreigners to commit assassinations on behalf of the Kremlin,” Eisenberg said, according to the Justice Department’s account.

ABC News, citing U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, reported that the charges also concern alleged attempts to assassinate an unnamed Russian dissident whom the defendants believed to be in Washington, D.C.

U.S. authorities describe RIS Network as a unit of the Russian state apparatus involved in attacks abroad, including killings. According to the Justice Department, the network focused on Russian dissidents and defectors and, more recently, on countries considered allies of Ukraine.

Named Defendants and Alleged Roles

Among those charged, U.S. authorities said three held senior positions within RIS Network. Yuri Khrameev, also known by the nickname “Colonel Yuri,” is described as a former colonel in Russian intelligence services who was involved in recruiting several people to carry out killings targeting Russian dissidents. Prosecutors said his son, Kirill Khrameev, is an officer of Russia’s Federal Security Service, the FSB.

Another defendant is Oemis Romagoza Durruti, a Cuban living in Russia, who is suspected of coordinating attacks by the network. Cuban national Yaidel Delgado Suarez, known as “Viking,” and Venezuelan national Angel Eduardo Castro are also accused of recruiting people to carry out assignments for the network.

The five named defendants face up to 20 years in prison on the terrorism financing charge. Yuri Khrameev, Suarez and Castro are also charged with conspiracy to commit murder for hire, which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years. The defendants are currently wanted by U.S. authorities.

The economic relevance of the case lies in how such prosecutions can reinforce a broader policy trajectory. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western governments have relied on sanctions, export controls, asset freezes, law-enforcement coordination and intelligence-sharing to contain perceived Russian state-linked threats. Allegations that operatives targeted infrastructure in countries supporting Ukraine could strengthen arguments for tighter controls on financial flows, travel, procurement and dual-use technologies connected to Russian networks.

European governments may also face renewed pressure to increase spending on counterintelligence, transport security, energy infrastructure protection and cyber-physical resilience. Even when alleged plots do not result in completed attacks, the perception of elevated risk can affect the operating environment for ports, rail hubs, defense suppliers, energy facilities and logistics providers supporting Ukraine.

For multinational firms, the indictment adds another layer to country-risk analysis. Companies exposed to Russia-linked counterparties, sensitive infrastructure, defense supply chains or politically visible sectors may face more intensive compliance demands. Banks and payment firms, in particular, are likely to view terrorism-financing allegations through the lens of sanctions screening, beneficial ownership reviews and suspicious-activity monitoring.

The case also underscores how the Ukraine war has blurred the boundary between conventional security policy and economic governance. If prosecutors’ allegations are proven, Western governments could treat covert violence and infrastructure targeting as part of the same strategic pressure campaign that already shapes trade restrictions, energy diversification and defense-industrial planning.

At the same time, the charges remain allegations, and the defendants are at large. The immediate legal outcome is uncertain. But for decision-makers, the broader signal is clear: the security confrontation around Russia is no longer confined to the battlefield in Ukraine. It is increasingly being prosecuted through courts, financial controls and domestic-security institutions, with durable implications for capital allocation, regulatory risk and the cost of doing business across the transatlantic economy.