US accuses Russia of trying to kill Ukrainian allies overseas

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has accused Russia of plotting to murder Ukrainian allies in the US and Europe.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DoJ charged five men allegedly connected to the Russian Intelligence Services (RIS). The men are accused of paying, or trying to pay, people in the US and overseas to target those "aligned, or perceived to be aligned, with Ukraine".

"It is our job to stop America's adversaries from unleashing violence and terror on American soil," Attorney General Todd Blanche. All those accused remain at large.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday Moscow will not comment until it hears or sees "any credible evidence" or "tangible facts".

It is not clear if the five accused are in the United States, or in a different location.

Washington has charged all five men with participating in a conspiracy to finance terrorism, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

Three of the defendants are "high-ranking members of the RIS network", the DoJ said.

Among them are Russian father and son Yuri Khrameev, 63, and Kirill Khrameev, 27. Khrameev senior was a colonel in the Russian intelligence services and his son is an officer in the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB).