Binance gave Russia user data that led to terrorism case

Binance transferred a user’s data to Russian authorities last year. That information was subsequently used as evidence in a terrorism financing case against a Russian IT specialist. This is according to court documents reviewed by Reuters. The case is notable because Binance announced in 2023 that it would leave Russia completely.

In brief:

• Binance provided Russian authorities with personal data and transaction data of a user.
• The user in question is accused of transferring more than $700 in crypto to organisations linked to the Ukrainian army.
• Binance says it cooperates with legally valid requests from law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Data used as evidence in Russian court case

According to Reuters, court documents show that Binance shared the identity and crypto transaction history of Juri Belenki, a Russian IT specialist, with Russian investigative authorities in 2025. That data was subsequently used to charge him with terrorism financing.

Belenki is accused of having transferred more than $700 in crypto to organisations that are allegedly linked to the Ukrainian army. He is currently detained in Russia and awaiting trial.

Binance: cooperation within legal frameworks

Binance says it cooperates with legally valid requests from law enforcement agencies worldwide, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and privacy requirements. It is common for large platforms to comply with such requests when they come from competent authorities in the countries where they operate.

Yet the case raises questions because Binance announced in 2023 that it had fully ended its operations in Russia. Whether the company still had a legal obligation to comply with Russian authorities at the time of the data request is not clear from the available documents.

The case is drawing international attention because the accusation amounts to donating a relatively small amount to Ukrainian fundraising campaigns, while Russia classifies this as financing terrorism.