Agents from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) have detained a former employee of the tech company Yandex on suspicion of sending money to the Ukrainian army, state media reported Monday.
“The FSB has disrupted the illegal activities of a former Yandex LLC employee in the Nizhny Novgorod region,” the TASS news agency quoted the FSB’s press office as saying.
The unidentified ex-Yandex employee was alleged to be “involved in committing high treason by providing financial assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine directed against Russia’s security.”
The maximum penalty for treason is life imprisonment.
According to the FSB, the detained man “transferred personal funds to the account of a Ukraine-registered foundation for the purchase of armored vehicles, ammunition, equipment, and medicine by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
A video shared by the law enforcement body showed masked agents apprehending the man in broad daylight and interrogating him inside an unmarked vehicle.
The detained man, whose face was blurred, said he donated money to the Come Back Alive charity on Feb. 27, 2022, three days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Come Back Alive describes itself as a charitable foundation dedicated to procuring equipment for the Ukrainian military.
According to the FSB, the man had previously been detained at unauthorized rallies inside Russia. He was also said to have fled the country after the Kremlin announced a “partial” mobilization in September 2022.
The FSB said it was working further to “gather evidence in the criminal case.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
