Garry Kasparov warns of Russian assassination plot targeting dissidents

Former world chess champion and Russian opposition figure Garry Kasparov stated that U.S. security services have warned him and another dissident, Ivan Tyutrin, that their lives are in danger. This follows reports from the Spanish newspaper El Mundo suggesting a Russian intelligence-linked network planned attacks against exiled opponents of President Vladimir Putin.

While U.S. prosecutors have not explicitly named Kasparov or Tyutrin in recent indictments, the Department of Justice announced on September 15 that five individuals face charges related to alleged conspiracies to surveil and assassinate Russian dissidents and carry out attacks in Europe. One individual, identified by El Mundo as former Russian deputy Ilya Ponomarev, was reportedly referred to as ‘Victim No. 1’ in the indictment. According to prosecutors, a recruited individual filmed locations associated with Ponomarev, and two defendants subsequently offered $40,000 to carry out the killing, which the individual refused.

Kasparov confirmed he has taken precautionary measures but vowed not to hide or stop his opposition to Vladimir Putin.