Russian court jails IT specialist 13 years for Ukraine donations; Binance data used
A Russian military court sentenced Yuri Belenky (Belenkiy), 49, to 13 years for financing terrorism over crypto donations to Ukraine's military. Binance gave Russian investigators his transaction records, which were key evidence.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Second Western District Military Court in Russia has sentenced Yuri Belenky, a 49-year-old IT specialist, to 13 years for financing terrorism. MeduzaLC “The Second Western District Military Court has sentenced Yuri Belenky, a 49-year-old IT specialist, to 13 years in prison for financing terrorism” Read at Meduza ↗ The Straits TimesRC “A Russian IT specialist has been sentenced to 13 years in jail on charges of financing terrorism” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2The sentence is three years in prison followed by a strict-regime penal colony; Meduza, citing the rights group Department One, adds a fine of 500,000 rubles and confiscation of another 126,000 rubles. Reuters, citing a court statement, puts the colony term at 10 years. MeduzaLC “The court also fined him 500,000 rubles and ordered the confiscation of another 126,000 rubles.” Read at Meduza ↗ The Straits TimesRC “sentenced him to three years in prison plus 10 years in a strict-regime penal colony, according to a court statement” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2Belenky, who lived in Bulgaria from 2015 and holds a Bulgarian residence permit, was detained in September 2025 when he travelled to Russia. Meduza says he was held at Sheremetyevo Airport, first jailed for petty hooliganism and then charged with financing terrorism; Reuters says he has been in custody since and denied the charges, according to the court. MeduzaLC “He was detained at Sheremetyevo Airport in September 2025, initially jailed for the administrative offense of petty hooliganism, and then charged with financing terrorism.” Read at Meduza ↗ The Straits TimesRC “He denied the charges, according to the court.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Mixed · 2According to Russian law enforcement documents seen by Reuters, he transferred money from his Binance accounts in response to online appeals to buy medical equipment for Ukrainian soldiers; some payments went to the Azov Brigade. Records showed he sent more than $700 after an appeal by exiled Kremlin critic Arkady Babchenko. The Straits TimesRC “Some payments went to the Azov Brigade or Azov Regiment, a particular bete noire for Moscow.”“Belenkiy sent more than $700 to the Ukrainian military in response to an online appeal by Arkady Babchenko” Read at The Straits Times ↗ MeduzaLC “The case stemmed from donations to an account whose details blogger Arkady Babchenko had published.” Read at Meduza ↗ Mixed · 2Binance gave Russian investigators his transaction history in response to a request from the Investigative Committee, and the records were key evidence. Department One said the transfers were proved "thanks to a detailed report that the cryptocurrency exchange Binance sent"; lawyer Yevgeny Smirnov of the rights group First Department called the response "key evidence". MeduzaLC “thanks to a detailed report that the cryptocurrency exchange Binance sent in response to a request from the Investigative Committee,” Read at Meduza ↗ The Straits TimesRC “"The response from Binance serves as key evidence in the criminal case against Belenkiy,"” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1Binance, asked about the sentence, referred Reuters to an earlier statement that it does not make or enforce laws, determine charges, or decide how governments use information, and does not comment on confidential law-enforcement requests or individual cases. The Straits TimesRC “does not make or enforce the laws of any jurisdiction, determine charges, or decide how any government uses information in legal proceedings” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Right · 1Crypto-regulation lawyer Mike Bystrov told Reuters in August that Binance, which left Russia in 2023, had no obligation to hand over the data and may have been barred from doing so by EU data-protection law because of Belenky's Bulgarian residency. Rights advocates say dozens of Russians have been convicted in recent years over crypto donations to causes later classed as extremist or terrorist. The Straits TimesRC “had been under no obligation to provide Belenkiy's data.”“dozens of Russians have been convicted in recent years for donations made through cryptocurrency platforms” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Short news item leading on the sentence and Binance's role in helping investigators prove the case, relaying the rights group Department One.
- Emphasis
- Sentence details, fine, arrest history and Binance's report to the Investigative Committee.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No comment from Binance, no legal questions about the data handover, no mention of the Azov payments or amounts.
- For example
-
“Binance helped investigators prove their case.” — Meduza
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Reuters wire copy carried by the Straits Times, leading on Binance passing donation details to Moscow, with Binance's response and legal criticism of the handover.
- Emphasis
- Binance's role and its response, data-protection questions, wider pattern of crypto-donation prosecutions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No fine or confiscation mentioned; the arrest circumstances are less detailed.
- Charged language
- “bete noire”
- For example
-
“after the cryptocurrency exchange Binance passed details to Moscow of his donations to Ukrainian fundraising campaigns.” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Yuri Belenky, 49, was sentenced to 13 years for financing terrorism by the Second Western District Military Court.
- Binance supplied Russian investigators with details of his transactions, which were used in the case.
- The donations were linked to an appeal by Arkady Babchenko.
Where accounts differ
-
Structure of the sentence
- Left
- Meduza: first three years in prison, then a high-security penal colony, plus a 500,000-ruble fine and 126,000 rubles confiscated.
- Right
- Reuters (Straits Times): three years in prison plus 10 years in a strict-regime penal colony, per a court statement; no fine mentioned.
Binance organisation
Says it does not make or enforce laws or decide how governments use information, and does not comment on confidential law-enforcement requests or individual cases.
“does not comment on confidential law-enforcement requests or individual cases” — The Straits Times
Yuri Belenky person
Denied the charges, according to the court; the prosecution relied on his Binance transfers.
“He denied the charges, according to the court.” — The Straits Times
Left1 article
-
MeduzaLC ·
Critical Brief report, headline stressing that Binance helped investigators prove the case.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
Russia jails man for 13 years after Binance revealed Ukraine donations
Neutral Reuters wire copy focused on Binance's disclosure, its response and legal doubts about the handover.
- 26 Oct 21:45 First MeduzaLC Russia sentences an IT specialist to 13 years for donating to Ukraine’s military. Binance helped investigators prove their case.
- 27 Oct 15:01 +17h 16m The Straits TimesRC Russia jails man for 13 years after Binance revealed Ukraine donations via Reuters
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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