Yekaterina Schulmann says Russian election expert Alexander Kynev’s leg was broken while he was being pressured to confess to treason

Political scientist Alexander Kynev, known for his expertise in Russian regional politics and elections, had his leg broken after being held in detention on suspicion of drug trafficking, according to fellow political scientist Yekaterina Schulmann. Schulmann reported this incident on the September 29 episode of her show "Status," stating that Kynev's leg was fractured in two places during his detention.

However, Kynev's lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, denied Schulmann's claim, asserting that there are no documents to support her allegations. The incident has since become public knowledge, including internationally. Kynev, who had criticized the recent elections, was initially arrested for drug charges on September 25. He was subsequently hospitalized after a beating, with doctors confirming two fractures in his lower leg.

His lawyer later confirmed that he had been admitted to a hospital at the Matrosskaya Tishina pretrial detention center.