US charges five in Russian plot to kill Ukraine-aligned targets in US and Europe

US federal authorities unsealed an indictment charging five individuals, at large, for allegedly running a Russian intelligence-linked network that paid operatives to surveil and kill targets in the US and Europe perceived as aligned with Ukraine. The charges mark a significant escalation in Russian covert operations against Western soil, though the operational status of the plot remains unclear. This development signals a new phase in the Russia-West confrontation, with direct implications for allied security and diplomatic tensions.