Kasparov Says US and Lithuanian Security Services Warned Him of Threat to His Life

Exiled Russian opposition figure Garry Kasparov has revealed that American and Lithuanian security services warned him his life was in danger, making him one of two dissidents advised to take protective precautions. The former world chess champion confirmed he had followed that guidance, speaking publicly about the warnings for the first time.

Kasparov's disclosure came in the wake of a US Justice Department indictment unsealed earlier this month, which charged five individuals alleged to work for the Kremlin with orchestrating attacks and murders across multiple countries. According to prosecutors, the targets of those alleged plots included Russian dissidents and defectors, with the conspiracy reaching into the United States.

Writing on his Substack, Kasparov said he had not been explicitly told that he and Ivan Tyutrin, co-founder of the Free Russia Forum, were considered targets of the alleged operation. However, he stated that both men had received warnings about their safety, suggesting authorities viewed them as potential victims.

The Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that it had obtained information indicating Kasparov, along with fellow Russian opposition figure Ilya Ponomarev, had been alerted to the alleged plot by US authorities during the summer. Citing sources close to Kasparov, the paper said the former chess champion had been placed under enhanced protection for the first time since he moved to the United States.

In his Substack post, Kasparov struck a defiant tone, declaring he would not halt his activities or go into hiding regardless of the threat. He wrote that neither he nor his family would truly be safe as long as Russian President Vladimir Putin remained in power, adding that this circumstance was shared by millions of people.

Kasparov's transition from competitive chess to political activism has made him a prominent voice opposing the Kremlin. He retired from professional chess in 2005 to pursue a political career, founding movements that openly challenged Putin's leadership before he fled Russia in 2013. He has not returned to his homeland since.

The Russian government has classified Kasparov as a foreign agent following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Two years later, authorities added him to a list of terrorists and extremists. Kasparov has rejected both designations, which carry significant stigma and legal implications within Russia.

The other reported target, Ilya Ponomarev, holds a unique place in Russian political history. He was the only member of the Russian parliament to vote against the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, a decision that ultimately led him into exile in Ukraine. When approached by the Moscow Times, Ponomarev declined to confirm or deny whether he had been tipped off about the alleged plot, but characterised the allegations as representing a new level of escalation by Russia.

The US Justice Department has described a network of individuals working for Russian intelligence services that has operated since at least 2024. According to officials, this so-called RIS Network has been conspiring to conduct attacks and murders targeting Russian dissidents and defectors around the world, extending its reach far beyond Russia's borders.

Five alleged members of the network face accusations of functioning as part of a global assassination operation. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg said the group had attempted to recruit US citizens and foreigners to carry out killings at the Kremlin's behest, describing a conspiracy that reached directly into American territory.

The five individuals named in the indictment are Yuri Khrameev, Kirill Khrameev, Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, Yaidel Delgado Suarez and Angel Eduardo Castro. All five remain at large, according to the Justice Department, raising questions about the network's continuing operational capacity and the challenges facing international law enforcement.

The Kremlin has offered a cautious response to the charges. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would not comment on the allegations until he had heard or seen what he described as credible evidence or tangible facts, a position that effectively neither confirms nor denies the accusations while allowing Moscow to dismiss them as unsubstantiated.

The case underscores broader concerns about the safety of Russian opposition figures living abroad. Since the invasion of Ukraine, several high-profile dissidents and defectors have reported threats to their lives, and some have been victims of attacks in European countries. The alleged existence of a coordinated assassination network suggests a systematic effort to silence critics of the Putin regime.

For Kasparov, the warnings represent a stark reminder of the dangers facing those who oppose the Kremlin from afar. Despite the threat, his public statements indicate a determination to continue his activism, framing his personal risk as inseparable from the broader struggle for a democratic Russia. The enhanced protection he reportedly received over the summer reflects the seriousness with which US authorities appear to view the threat.

The indictment and the warnings to dissidents also raise difficult questions about how effectively Western governments can protect those targeted by Russian intelligence operations. The fact that all five alleged organisers remain at large highlights the limits of international cooperation in pursuing suspects across multiple jurisdictions, even when the alleged crimes involve plots on American soil.

As the investigation continues, the case is likely to intensify scrutiny of Russia's overseas operations and the measures democracies take to counter them. For Kasparov and others named as potential targets, the coming months will test both their resolve and the security arrangements designed to keep them alive.