U.S. authorities have dismantled a covert network allegedly operating under Russian direction to target dissidents abroad, with one suspect arrested in Colombia and another individual with Serbian-Montenegrin citizenship identified in the investigation.
The United States Department of Justice confirmed the arrest of 42-year-old Denis Alimov, who is accused of leading the network. He was detained in Colombia following the issuance of an international arrest warrant through Interpol. U.S. prosecutors allege that Alimov was involved in a plot to kidnap or assassinate two prominent Russian dissidents living outside Russia.
According to the indictment, the United States will seek Alimov’s extradition to face charges related to conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping abroad, as well as providing material support for terrorism and financing terrorist activities.
The case documents also mention Darko Djurović, reportedly a dual citizen of Montenegro and Serbia, as another individual involved in the alleged plot. Investigators claim that in October 2024 Alimov met Djurović in a restaurant near the headquarters of a foreign country’s internal security service. During the meeting, Alimov allegedly provided Djurović with around $60,000 to finance the operation and promised an additional $1.5 million for each successful kidnapping or assassination.
Authorities say the two communicated using the mobile application Google Translate due to a language barrier, while their conversations were monitored by U.S. investigators.
According to prosecutors, Djurović played an active role in planning the operation. He is suspected of researching Glock firearms, organizing travel to several European countries to locate the intended targets, and recruiting another individual to assist in identifying them.
The indictment states that Djurović was involved in key aspects of communication, planning, and operational coordination of the activities allegedly initiated by Alimov.
If convicted, Alimov could face sentences ranging from 15 to 20 years in prison for terrorism-related charges, while the conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping abroad carries the possibility of life imprisonment.
U.S. authorities praised the work of the FBI, particularly its counterintelligence office in New York, as well as cooperation with Colombian institutions that assisted in the operation.
