Russian IT specialist Yuri Belyenky was detained after an investigation into cryptocurrency transfers via Binance. According to Reuters, Russian law enforcement requested his transaction history from the exchange, and the obtained information was then included in the criminal case materials.

The investigation claims that from January 2023 to March 2024, Belyenky transferred cryptocurrency to finance the Armed Forces of Ukraine and an organization recognized as terrorist in Russia. The total amount, according to the Investigative Committee, exceeded $700. In the autumn of 2025, the man was detained, after which the court remanded him in custody on charges of aiding terrorist activities.

Reuters writes that Binance allegedly provided the Russian side with details of Belyenky's transactions, and this data was used as evidence. However, the agency specifically emphasizes that it could not independently confirm the authenticity of the received documents.

Binance did not comment on the specific case. The company stated that it cooperates with law enforcement agencies of various countries within the framework of legal requests and does not determine how authorities then use the transmitted information.

Binance announced its withdrawal from Russia in September 2023. Therefore, it is separately discussed whether the exchange was obliged to respond to such a request after ceasing operations in the country. Reuters also could not establish whether Belyenky's account was registered as European, which could affect the requirements for protecting his personal data.