Russian authorities detained a 26-year-old Barnaul resident for allegedly transferring 24 million rubles ($310,000) in cryptocurrency to wallets used by Ukrainian armed forces.
The man faces terrorism financing charges under Russian law, which classifies financial support for Ukraine's military as a criminal offense.
Russia's Investigative Committee stated the suspect collected funds in April 2025 and purchased cryptocurrency that was deposited into wallets "used to finance units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces."
Authorities claimed the funds were intended for attacks within Russian territory. The suspect's identity was not disclosed.
Pattern of Crypto-Related Arrests
This arrest continues a pattern of Russian prosecutions targeting cryptocurrency transfers to Ukraine.
In November 2025, the FSB arrested a Tula resident on treason charges for similar transfers, with potential life imprisonment.
A January 2025 case resulted in a seven-year sentence for a Yakutia resident convicted of funding Ukrainian forces through cryptocurrency.
Russian courts have imposed sentences ranging from seven to 13 years for donations as small as $54 to organizations supporting Ukraine's military operations. Charges typically fall under terrorism financing or high treason statutes in the Russian criminal code.
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Cryptocurrency in Conflict
Both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict have utilized cryptocurrency for military funding. Ukraine has received millions in crypto donations since February 2022, including official government channels accepting over 70 different digital assets.
The country recorded a 362% increase in large decentralized finance transactions by October 2024.
Russian authorities banned WhiteBIT exchange in January 2026 after the platform facilitated over $160 million in donations to Ukrainian forces.
The exchange exited the Russian market in early 2022 following the invasion.
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