US charges five alleged Russian agents over targeted killing plots

US authorities have unsealed federal charges against five alleged Russian intelligence operatives accused of organizing a global network to carry out targeted killings and sabotage across Europe and the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the suspects paid or attempted to pay individuals to conduct surveillance and execute attacks against targets aligned with Ukraine, including a June 2024 operation in Prague. All five defendants remain at large.

Concurrently, a regional court in Stuttgart, Germany, convicted a Ukrainian national involved in a Kremlin-linked plot to send explosive packages via commercial delivery services across Europe. German judges ruled that the operation was orchestrated by Russian state entities to disrupt public security. Together, the legal actions highlight increasing effort among Western authorities to prosecute alleged covert Russian operations.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, OCCRP, The Guardian.