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Russian Court Delays Release of Pilot Detained for Transmitting Cryptocurrency to Ukrainian Military
A Russian court has extended the detention period of a commercial pilot who was apprehended for allegedly transferring cryptocurrency to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) detained the individual in Krasnodar, Southern Russia, on charges of “treason” late last month.
Pilot Allegedly Sent Cryptocurrency to Ukraine, Claims FSB
At the end of January, a court determined that the FSB could keep the pilot in custody until February 16, 2025.
A public square in Krasnodar, Russia. (Source: Maska999 [CC BY-SA 4.0])
However, the state-aligned newspaper RIA Novosti, referencing a “source within the security services,” reported that a court had extended the detention period “until April 16.”
The FSB asserts that the pilot converted rubles into an unspecified “cryptocurrency” on “an online platform.”
The agency stated that the individual was “the captain of a civil aircraft.” It alleged that the suspect “contacted a person involved in fundraising for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”
The FSB claims that the pilot then “followed the contact’s instructions” to “exchange Russian rubles for cryptocurrency via an online platform.”
The pilot reportedly “transferred the funds” to a “designated” crypto wallet managed by Ukrainian military personnel.
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Hundreds of Russians Charged With Assisting Ukrainian Military
In January, Reuters (via CNN) reported that according to the Russian legal association Pervy Otdel, the Russian authorities have charged 792 individuals with “treason, espionage, or cooperating with a foreign state” since the onset of conflict in Ukraine in February 2022.
This figure includes numerous crypto-related cases. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have been utilizing crypto wallets as donation platforms since early 2022.
The International Energy Agency has slightly revised its forecast for Russia’s oil production this year, despite extensive western energy sanctions https://t.co/z38S8JPr1L
— Bloomberg (@business) February 13, 2025
Cryptocurrency Donations
Many Russians who support Ukraine appear to have utilized these channels to contribute cryptocurrency.
Nevertheless, the FSB and law enforcement agencies claim they have developed advanced blockchain analytics tools that enable them to track transactions on major protocols.
This, they assert, has aided them in identifying and apprehending individuals based in Russia who have sent funds to Ukrainian military wallets.
In recent months, the FSB has detained and charged a scientist from Moscow for similar alleged offenses.
Additionally, a resident of Khabarovsk Krai has been arrested on related charges, along with a diamond miner who was apprehended last month.
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