US and Lithuanian services warn Kasparov of Russian threat to his life

Kremlin critic and chess legend Garry Kasparov has disclosed that US and Lithuanian security services warned him and his associate Ivan Tyutrin that their lives are in danger from Russian agents. The warning followed the US Department of Justice's announcement in mid-September of charges against five alleged Russian intelligence operatives accused of plotting murders globally, including attempts on prominent Russian dissidents in the United States. This represents a significant escalation, as Russia has traditionally targeted opposition figures in Europe rather than on US soil.

Kasparov, 63, and Tyutrin co-founded the Free Russia Forum in 2016, which advocates for Ukrainian military support and organises anti-war conferences. Russia designated the organisation as "undesirable" in 2023 and as a "terrorist" organisation in 2025. Spanish media reports have suggested Kasparov and former Russian lawmaker Ilya Ponomaryov were the specific assassination targets, though US authorities have not explicitly named them in the indictment. One Russian agent allegedly offered a US citizen £15,800 to murder a target in Lithuania, suggesting methods including throwing gasoline or using a knife.