Russian court hands IT specialist 13-year term for alleged Ukraine aid, citing Binance data
Yuri Belenky, a 49-year-old IT expert, was sentenced by a Russian military court to 13 years in prison for financing terrorism after donating to Ukraine, with investigators relying on a report from Binance.
A Russian military court sentenced IT specialist Yuri Belenky to 13 years in prison after finding him guilty of financing terrorism through contributions to Ukraine’s military. The sentence includes an initial three-year term in a standard prison followed by transfer to a high-security penal colony, a 500,000-ruble fine and the confiscation of an additional 126,000 rubles. Belenky, who has resided in Bulgaria since 2015 and made regular trips to Russia, was arrested at Sheremetyevo Airport in September 2025, initially on a petty hooliganism charge before the terrorism financing allegation took precedence.
The prosecution’s case relied on donations made to an account whose details were posted by blogger Arkady Babchenko, and investigators highlighted a comprehensive report from the cryptocurrency exchange Binance that they obtained in response to a request from the Investigative Committee. The Department One human-rights group reported the sentencing, noting the role of the Binance report in establishing the money trail.
Why it matters
The case shows how Russian authorities are using cryptocurrency data to pursue alleged supporters of Ukraine’s war effort.
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