**Title: Garry Kasparov Reports Threat to Life After Warnings from US and Lithuanian Authorities**
Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion and prominent Russian dissident, has revealed that he received warnings from American and Lithuanian security services regarding threats to his life. Kasparov, who has been living in exile in the United States since 2013, stated that he was one of two opposition figures advised to take precautions for their safety.
In a recent post on his Substack, Kasparov did not explicitly confirm that he and fellow dissident Ivan Tyutrin were identified as targets but mentioned that both had received safety warnings. This disclosure follows the unsealing of an indictment by the U.S. Justice Department earlier this month, which charged five individuals allegedly linked to the Kremlin with planning attacks and murders targeting Russian dissidents and defectors in various countries, including the United States.
Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that it had obtained information indicating that Kasparov and another opposition figure, Ilya Ponomarev, were alerted to the potential threat over the summer. The report suggested that Kasparov had been placed under enhanced protection for the first time since relocating to the U.S.
In his statement, Kasparov emphasized his determination to continue his political activism despite the risks, asserting, "I will not stop and I will not hide, even if I thought it was possible to do so." He further expressed that true safety for him and his family would only be achievable when Russian President Vladimir Putin is no longer in power, a sentiment shared by many who oppose the current regime in Russia.
Kasparov, who retired from competitive chess in 2005 to focus on political opposition against Putin, has faced increasing scrutiny from the Russian government. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he was designated as a foreign agent, and in 2024, he was added to a list of terrorists and extremists, classifications he disputes.
Ilya Ponomarev, the other dissident mentioned in the warnings, is notable for being the only Russian Member of Parliament to vote against the annexation of Crimea in 2014. He has also gone into exile, currently residing in Ukraine. While he did not confirm or deny whether he had been warned about the alleged plot, Ponomarev characterized the situation as a "new level of escalation" by the Russian government.
The U.S. Justice Department has indicated that a network of individuals allegedly working for Russian intelligence has been active since at least 2024. This network, referred to as the RIS Network, is accused of conspiring to carry out attacks and murders against Russian dissidents and defectors globally. The indictment outlines that the five individuals charged are believed to have been part of a broader assassination network operating with the Kremlin's directives.
The individuals named in the indictment—Yuri Khrameev, Kirill Khrameev, Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, Yaidel Delgado Suarez, and Angel Eduardo Castro—are currently at large. The U.S. authorities have expressed concerns about their activities, which allegedly included attempts to recruit both American citizens and foreign nationals to execute killings on behalf of the Kremlin.
In response to the unsealed indictment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that he would refrain from commenting on the charges until credible evidence or tangible facts were presented.
As the situation unfolds, the warnings issued to Kasparov and Ponomarev underscore the ongoing risks faced by Russian dissidents and the broader implications of political dissent in the context of the current geopolitical climate.