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IT Director Sentenced Over Crypto Transfers
A Russian military court has sentenced 49-year-old IT specialist Yuri Belenkiy to 13 years in prison after convicting him of financing terrorism through cryptocurrency donations to Ukrainian campaigns. The 2nd Western District Military Court ruled that Belenkiy will serve three years in prison followed by 10 years in a strict-regime penal colony, alongside a fine of 500,000 roubles ($6,300).
Belenkiy, a former IT director at the firm DiHouse who holds a Bulgarian residence permit, was detained in September 2023 upon arriving in Moscow for a visit. State prosecutors had requested a 14-year sentence. Belenkiy denied the charges, and his defense team confirmed plans to appeal the verdict.
Evidence and Binance Involvement
Russian judicial findings state that between August 2022 and March 2024, Belenkiy completed 15 cryptocurrency transactions totaling more than 120,000 roubles ($1,500). The funds were directed to support the Ukrainian armed forces and the Azov battalion, which Russia classifies as a terrorist organization. The payments were made using details published by exiled Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko.
Documents reviewed by reporters reveal that cryptocurrency exchange Binance supplied Belenkiy's account records to Russian authorities following an official request. Human rights group First Department noted that these records formed the primary evidence in the prosecution. During proceedings, Belenkiy's defense disputed the origin of the data, highlighting that Binance had stopped cooperating with Russian authorities in 2022 and fully pulled out of the Russian market in 2023.
Broader Regulatory and Legal Impact
In a statement regarding the case, Binance noted that it does not enforce laws, determine criminal charges, or disclose details about confidential law enforcement requests. Legal experts pointed out that because Belenkiy held European residency, providing his data to Russian authorities may have conflicted with European Union data protection laws.
Reports from human rights advocates indicate that Russian authorities actively monitor both traditional banking and digital currency channels to prosecute individuals for contributions made to Ukrainian causes. Key background details include:
- Belenkiy has been added to Russia's official list of extremists and terrorists.
- Rights group First Department estimates that roughly 10 percent of Russian treason and espionage charges in 2025 relate to Ukrainian donations.
- Binance exited the Russian market in 2023 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent international sanctions.
Source: Russia jails IT worker for 13 years for donating money to Ukraine