Garry Kasparov Says US Warned Him His Life Was in Danger

What changed

Garry Kasparov says US and Lithuanian security services warned him that his life was in danger. The warning came alongside a US Justice Department indictment accusing five people of working in a Kremlin-linked network that allegedly plotted attacks and murders against Russian dissidents and defectors. All five defendants remain at large.

Why it matters

The warning turns a distant allegation into a direct security concern for people living in exile. Kasparov and fellow Free Russia Forum co-founder Ivan Tyutrin were told to take precautions, although Kasparov says neither was explicitly identified as a target. Ilya Ponomarev, another Russian opposition figure living in exile, was also reportedly warned.

The alleged network has operated since at least 2024, according to the indictment. Its alleged links to the Kremlin remain unproven, and the public details do not establish who the ultimate targets were. But the practical consequence is clear: dissidents outside Russia are being treated as potential targets across borders, not simply as political opponents at home.

Kasparov says he will continue his political activity and will not hide. That stance matters because Russia has designated him a foreign agent and later placed him on its list of terrorists and extremists. His family, he says, will not truly be safe while Vladimir Putin remains in power.