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Russian dissident Garry Kasparov says US warned him of threat to his life

Former chess champion claims he and fellow opposition figure were advised to take precautions after US indictment of Kremlin-linked network

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Exiled Russian opposition figure and former chess world champion Garry Kasparov has stated that American and Lithuanian security services warned him his life was in danger. The warning follows a US Justice Department indictment charging five people allegedly linked to a Kremlin network with plotting attacks and murders targeting Russian dissidents and defectors overseas.

Kasparov, who has lived in the United States since fleeing Russia in 2013, wrote in his publication The Next Move that he was one of two dissidents told to take safety precautions. He said he had not been explicitly told that he and fellow Free Russia Forum co-founder Ivan Tyutrin were considered targets, but both had been warned about their safety.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that Kasparov and another Russian opposition figure, Ilya Ponomarev, were warned over the summer by US authorities. Citing sources close to Kasparov, the paper said he had been placed under enhanced protection for the first time since moving to the US.

"I will not stop and I will not hide, even if I thought it was possible to do so," Kasparov wrote separately. "My family and I will not truly be safe as long as [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is in power in Russia - a circumstance shared by millions."

Kasparov retired from competitive chess in 2005 to pursue politics, founding movements that opposed Putin. Russia designated him a foreign agent in 2022 and added him to a list of terrorists and extremists in 2024, classifications he rejects.

The US indictment unsealed earlier this month accuses five people of belonging to a network linked to the Kremlin and allegedly plotting attacks and murders in multiple countries, with a focus on Russian dissidents and defectors.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The warning underscores the ongoing physical threat Russian opposition figures face even in exile, highlighting the Kremlin's willingness to pursue dissidents abroad.
  • The US indictment signals a shift toward publicly naming and prosecuting individuals allegedly acting on Moscow's orders in assassination plots, potentially deterring future operations.
  • Kasparov's refusal to hide despite the threat is likely to galvanize other opposition voices, but also raises questions about the sufficiency of security provided to at-risk exiles.

Background

Garry Kasparov is a prominent former world chess champion who became a political activist opposed to President Vladimir Putin. He founded opposition movements in Russia before fleeing in 2013. Russia has since classified him as a foreign agent and a terrorist/extremist. In September 2026, the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging five individuals with plotting murders and attacks on Russian dissidents and defectors in the US and other countries, alleging links to a Kremlin-affiliated network. Kasparov and other opposition figures have been main targets of such plots.

Key Perspectives

Garry Kasparov: He has stated he will not stop his opposition work or hide, noting that true safety for him and his family will only come when Putin is no longer in power. He has taken enhanced security precautions. US authorities: The Justice Department's indictment represents an effort to disrupt and publicize alleged Kremlin-linked assassination networks operating internationally, targeting dissidents. Human rights and opposition groups: They will likely view the warning as validation of the persistent danger facing Russian exiles, and may press for increased protective measures and more aggressive prosecution of those behind threats.

What to Watch

  • Whether additional details emerge from the US indictment, including the specific targets and methods allegedly planned.
  • Any further security measures taken by Kasparov or other dissidents, and whether other countries issue similar warnings.
  • The reaction of the Kremlin, which may deny involvement or dismiss the indictment as politically motivated.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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