Binance Gave Russia the Data That Put a $700 Ukraine Donor in Jail

Binance gave Russia records that charged a Ukraine donor

Binance last year handed Russian authorities details of cryptocurrency donations sent to Ukrainian fundraising campaigns, according to law enforcement documents reviewed by Reuters. The data helped bring terrorism financing charges against Yuri Belenkiy, a Russian information technology (IT) specialist. The records included his date of birth, address, phone number and passport number. They also carried copies of his Russian passport and Bulgarian residency permit. Russia's Investigative Committee had requested his transaction history, and Binance responded with a data file confirming his transfers. Investigators then folded that record into the evidence against him.

Belenkiy sent over $700 to Ukrainian fundraisers

Investigators allege Belenkiy sent more than $700 in cryptocurrency between January 2023 and March 2024. The money went to the Ukrainian military and a group linked to the Azov Brigade, which Moscow designates a terrorist organisation. Belenkiy, 49, made the transfers after an appeal by Arkady Babchenko, an exiled Kremlin critic who published wallet addresses to buy medical equipment for Ukrainian soldiers. Detained in September 2025, Belenkiy now awaits trial in a Russian jail.

Data protection lawyers question Binance's disclosure

Binance said in September 2023 it had fully exited Russia, with no revenue sharing and no option to buy back the business. Because it had quit the country, Binance was under no obligation to hand over the data, said Mike Bystrov, founder of law firm Stellar Consulting. He argued the exchange may have had a duty not to share it under European Union data protection law. Binance disputes that view. The documents seen by Reuters relate only to Belenkiy's case, and Reuters could not determine whether the exchange identified other donors to Russian investigators. Rights activists who track such cases said several dozen people have been prosecuted in Russia for similar donations.

The First Department calls the handover a betrayal

The First Department, which supports people prosecuted in Russian political cases, obtained the documents from one of Belenkiy's relatives. Its head, Dmitry Zair-Bek, said EU residents would not expect a company that announced its Russian exit to keep such a channel open.

"An EU resident would hardly imagine that a crypto-giant that announced it was leaving Russia is actually retaining a channel of communication with that country's law enforcement", 17 August 2026. — Dmitry Zair-Bek, Head of The First Department

Binance says it follows lawful law enforcement requests

Binance declined to discuss Belenkiy's case. A spokesperson said the exchange does not decide how governments use the information it provides. "Like other global financial institutions, we cooperate with lawful information requests from law enforcement globally, subject to applicable legal, privacy and regulatory requirements", the statement said. The European Data Protection Board and Bulgaria's data protection commission did not comment on the case when asked by Reuters.

BNB trades near $605 at time of publication

BNB, the exchange's native token, traded at $605.14 at the time of publication, down 0.4% over the past 24 hours versus the previous close (CoinPaprika, 17 August 2026). Its market capitalisation stood near $80.6 billion, ranking it the fourth-largest cryptocurrency.