Russian military court sentences IT specialist to 13 years for Ukraine donations

A Russian military court has sentenced 49‑year‑old IT specialist Yuri Belenkiy to 13 years in prison for allegedly financing “terrorism”.

The 2nd Western District Military Court convicted Belenkiy on Monday, ordering three years in prison followed by ten years in a strict‑regime penal colony and a fine of 500,000 roubles (about €6,300).

Prosecutors said Belenkiy, a former IT director of DiHouse, transferred cryptocurrency worth more than 120,000 roubles (approximately €1,500) between August 2022 and March 2024 to Ukrainian fundraising campaigns, including the Azov battalion, which Russia classifies as a terrorist organisation.

The conviction was based on data supplied by cryptocurrency exchange Binance, which provided Russian investigators with details of Belenkiy’s transactions after a request from authorities. Binance has said it does not comment on confidential law‑enforcement requests.

Belenkiy, who holds a Bulgarian residence permit, was detained in September last year when he travelled to Moscow. He denied the charges and his defence intends to appeal the verdict.

Legal analysts note that Binance withdrew from the Russian market in 2023 and may have been constrained by EU data‑protection rules from sharing user information.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Leeloo The First / Pexels.