Binance law enforcement cooperation exposed in $700 Ukraine donation case
Binance says its law enforcement cooperation policy is built on lawful, structured processes that respect privacy and regulatory rules everywhere it operates. But a Reuters investigation published August 17 shows what that cooperation can look like in practice โ and the answer has landed the exchange in the middle of a politically charged Russian terrorism financing case involving donations to Ukraine.
Key takeaways
- Binance reportedly gave Russian investigators identity documents and transaction records for Yuri Belenkiy, a Russian IT specialist accused of sending over $700 in crypto to Ukraine-linked groups.
- Belenkiy has been detained since September 2025 and remains in custody awaiting trial.
- Binance says it cooperates with lawful information requests from law enforcement worldwide, subject to legal, privacy and regulatory requirements.
- Binance exited the Russian market in 2023 through a sale to CommEX, which later shut down, but continued responding to Russian information requests afterward.
- Whether the disclosure complied with EU data protection rules remains an open question, since Belenkiy also holds Bulgarian residency.
The Belenkiy Case: What Reuters Found
Russian prosecutors used Binance-supplied records to build a terrorism financing charge against Yuri Belenkiy, a 49-year-old IT specialist, according to Reuters. The exchange reportedly handed over his date of birth, home address, phone number, passport number, and copies of his Russian passport and Bulgarian residency permit, along with transaction history confirming transfers he made through the platform.
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