Binance gave Russia data on client who donated to Ukraine after leaving Russian market
Crypto exchange Binance provided Russian law enforcement with client Yuri Belenkiy's personal data and transaction history, which were used as evidence in a terrorism financing case over his donations to Ukrainian organizations, Reuters reported on Aug. 17.
On August 17, Reuters reported that cryptocurrency exchange Binance shared client Yuri Belenkiy's personal data and transaction history with Russian law enforcement. The data, which included his name, address, phone number, passport number, and copies of his Russian passport and Bulgarian residence permit, was used as evidence in a terrorism financing case related to Belenkiy's donations to Ukrainian organizations. Belenkiy transferred more than $700 to the Ukrainian military in 2023 and 2024.
Binance announced its exit from the Russian market in September 2023. The exchange stated it complies with lawful requests and regulatory requirements. Lawyer Mike Bystrov noted that Binance might not have been obligated to provide the data to Russian authorities, especially if Belenkiy was registered as an EU resident under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Belenkiy, who holds both a Russian passport and a Bulgarian residence permit, is currently held in a Russian prison awaiting trial. Reuters could not determine if Binance provided data on other customers who donated cryptocurrency to Ukraine. The exchange faced a hacker attack in May 2025.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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