A Russian IT specialist who donated cryptocurrency to Ukrainian fundraising campaigns was charged with financing terrorism after Russian investigators obtained information from Binance that linked him to the transactions, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.
Binance provided Russian authorities with information about cryptocurrency donations to Ukrainian fundraising campaigns last year. Investigators subsequently used the information as evidence in the case against the IT professional, Reuters reported.
The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange said in 2023 that it had fully exited Russia. Binance has also said that, like other global financial institutions, it cooperates with lawful requests for customer information from law enforcement agencies, subject to applicable legal, privacy and regulatory requirements.
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Rights advocates who monitor such cases say several dozen Russians who donated to Ukrainian causes have been charged and convicted in Russia in recent years. Reuters reported it was unable to independently determine the exact number.
In October, Yuri Belenkiy, an IT specialist detained in September 2025, was accused by Russia's Investigative Committee of sending more than $700 to the Ukrainian military and an affiliated group known as the Azov Brigade and Azov Regiment, which Moscow has designated as terrorist organisations.
Mike Bystrov, founder of cryptocurrency governance consultancy Stellar Consulting, said Binance may not have been legally required to provide the information because the company had left Russia. He also raised questions over whether European data-protection rules could have applied to the disclosure.
Binance said in an email statement that it does not determine criminal charges or how governments use information in legal proceedings. The company said it cooperates with lawful information requests globally, subject to applicable legal, privacy and regulatory requirements.
Bystrov said that if Belenkiy had been registered with Binance as an EU resident, the General Data Protection Regulation could potentially apply to his data. He also noted that Russia is not considered by the EU to have an adequate level of protection for personal data, making any transfer of personal information there subject to additional requirements.
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According to the records reviewed by Reuters, Russian investigators received two responses after contacting Binance for assistance. Reuters also found a Binance webpage indicating that law enforcement officials in Russia and Belarus could use the email address involved to contact the company.
The responses included Belenkiy's date of birth, address, phone number and passport number, along with copies of his Russian passport and Bulgarian residency permit.
The information also confirmed that Belenkiy was the Binance customer who initiated the transfer to the wallet specified by Ukrainian journalist Arkady Babchenko.
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