A network tied to Russian secret services was preparing assassinations of several people, according to reports. The targets reportedly included Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion who now works as a Russian opposition politician. Ilya Ponomariov, a former deputy in Russia's State Duma, was also said to be on the list. Both men live abroad and have been outspoken critics of the Kremlin for years. The plot points to how far the reach of Russian security-linked groups extends toward high-profile exiles. It is not clear from the reports who would have carried out the killings or how advanced the preparations were.