Garry Kasparov Warned of Assassination Plot, Cites US and Lithuanian Security Services
The Russian chess legend and Kremlin critic stated he and an associate were informed of a threat and advised to take security measures.
Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov has revealed that he and a close associate were warned by U.S. and Lithuanian security services about an alleged plot to assassinate them. Kasparov stated on social media that the news of being targeted did not come as a complete surprise but was still a shock.
"Lithuanian and U.S. security services informed us that our lives were in danger and that we should take precautionary measures," Kasparov said. "I did exactly that, and I will continue to do so in the future."
Kasparov, 63, made his statement following a mid-September announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ charged five alleged Russian intelligence agents with conspiring to carry out attacks and murders globally, including within the United States. The department stated that the group attempted to murder a "prominent Russian dissident" living in the U.S. this past summer, identifying the individual only as "Victim-1" without naming them.
One of the defendants is reportedly an officer of Russia's FSB security service. Spanish newspaper El Mundo, citing sources close to Kasparov, reported that Russian agents had plotted to murder both him and former Russian lawmaker Ilya Ponomaryov, who has become a critic of the Kremlin.
Kasparov clarified that neither he nor his associate, Ivan Tyutrin, were explicitly identified as the individuals referenced in the DOJ's indictment. Tyutrin, a co-founder with Kasparov of the Free Russia Forum, lives in exile in Vilnius. He confirmed that Lithuanian authorities warned him after the U.S. announcement, advising him to "leave my home urgently and get rid of my car."
In 2016, Kasparov and Tyutrin established the Free Russia Forum, an organization that supports the Ukrainian military and convenes anti-war conferences. Russia designated the forum an "undesirable organization" in 2023 and later added it to a list of "terrorist" organizations in 2025.
The alleged plot, as revealed by U.S. authorities, appears to signify an escalation in both the targeting of Russian dissidents and the operational reach of Russian intelligence on Western soil. While Russian security services have a history of targeting Kremlin opponents in Europe, such alleged direct assassination plots within the United States represent a significant development.
The U.S. DOJ also reported that the Russian agents aimed to murder a target in Lithuania, designated "Victim-2." According to the charges, one Russian agent offered a U.S. citizen $25,000 to carry out the murder of "Victim-2," suggesting methods such as using gasoline or a knife. Tyutrin stated he does not know if he is "Victim-2."