Renowned chess player and outspoken critic of the Russian government, Garry Kasparov, was reportedly the target of an assassination scheme orchestrated by the Kremlin on American soil, according to revelations published by El Mundo on Wednesday.
U.S. authorities informed Kasparov during the summer that he was a "target" in this operation, leading to the assignment of special protection for the first time since he sought refuge in New York in 2013.
This development adds new dimensions to the understanding of the so-called "RIS Network," a group linked to Russian intelligence services. Five members of this network were formally charged by the Southern District of New York on September 16, 2026.
Among those accused are two Cuban nationals: Oemis Romagoza Durruthy and Yaidel Delgado Suárez, who is also known as "Vikingo."
More Than One Target in the U.S.
Kasparov was not the sole target in the United States. Plans were further along to eliminate Ilya Ponomarev, the sole Russian Duma deputy to vote against the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Ponomarev, who has supported Ukraine's armed defense from exile, was identified as "Victim Number 1" with a bounty of $40,000 on his head. A recruit of the network conducted surveillance on two locations associated with him in Washington, but was caught on security cameras and eventually aborted the mission.
The Central Role of Cuban Nationals
The involvement of the Cuban individuals is pivotal. Romagoza Durruthy, a dance instructor, coordinated sabotage attacks in Europe on behalf of the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency. He was already known to Lithuanian authorities for recruiting two Spaniards to set fire to a company linked to military supplies for Ukraine in 2024, for a sum of 4,000 euros.
Delgado Suárez, aged 35, acted as a recruiter for planned attacks on U.S. soil alongside Venezuelan national Ángel Eduardo Castro, 22. It was Castro who reached out to a fellow countryman in Brooklyn this summer with a straightforward inquiry: "Do you have someone trustworthy in Washington?"
The subsequent instructions were explicit: erase the conversation, visit the victim’s neighborhood with the phone on airplane mode, and record from a distance using the left hand. The ultimate goal was to "eliminate one or two dissidents and simultaneously send a strong message to others."
Wider Implications of the Plot
Vladimir Kara-Murza, an opposition figure who survived two poisonings by Russia and was released in 2024 during a prisoner exchange, was also listed as a potential target. In Lithuania, the network set its sights on Ivan Tyutrin, co-founder of the Free Russia Forum alongside Kasparov, with a price tag of $25,000 for his elimination.
The criminal charges do not hold the Cuban state accountable. The Cuban regime denied any connections to the network, with Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal Ferreiro dismissing the allegations as "another baseless accusation against Cuba."
Kasparov has been vocal about Cuban issues. In March 2026, he criticized the "Nuestra América" flotilla heading to the island, posting on X: "How about we exchange these idiots for an equal number of Cubans who wish to live in the free world?"
John A. Eisenberg, Deputy Attorney General for National Security, encapsulated the scope of the operation: "These defendants allegedly operated as part of a global criminal network that extended to the United States, attempting to recruit American and foreign citizens to commit crimes at the Kremlin's behest."
All accused individuals remain fugitives in Russia, facing up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to finance terrorism.
Key Questions About the Assassination Plot Involving Kasparov
Who were the main targets of the assassination plot?
Garry Kasparov and Ilya Ponomarev were the primary targets of the Kremlin's assassination plot on U.S. soil.
What role did Cuban nationals play in the plot?
Cuban nationals Oemis Romagoza Durruthy and Yaidel Delgado Suárez were implicated as central figures in recruiting and coordinating attacks within the United States.
Did the Cuban government have any involvement in the plot?
The Cuban government was not found to be involved in the plot, and they have denied any connections to the network.