Putin promised to look into the case of journalist Vinatier: what is known about him

During the Results of the Year, Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time publicly reacted to the case of French political scientist and journalist Laurent Vinatier (recognized as a foreign agent in the Russian Federation), promising to look into the situation. The Head of State noted that he had not previously been familiar with this case, but was ready to study it within the framework of Russian legislation. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

What is known about the Laurent Vinatier case

French citizen Laurent Vinatier was detained in Moscow in June 2024 on charges of evading the duties of a foreign agent and collecting information about Russia's military activities. In October of the same year, the Zamoskvoretsky court sentenced him to three years in a general regime penal colony, although the prosecutor's office requested three years and three months. At the time of his detention, Vinatier was working as an adviser on Russia and Eurasia at the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Swiss non-governmental organization.

According to the investigation, the foreigner had been purposefully collecting military information for several years, meeting with Russian citizens, including civil servants and experts. At the same time, he did not submit documents for inclusion in the register of foreign agents, which is a mandatory requirement of the legislation. Vinatier himself pleaded guilty to the charges, which was taken into account by the court when sentencing.

Even before sentencing, in June 2024, the Russian Ministry of Justice added Vinatier to the register of foreign agents. His professional background includes work in NATO structures, the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as teaching at universities in Turkey and Sweden.

Why has the case taken a new turn

In August 2025, it became known that a new criminal case had been opened against the already convicted Vinatier, this time under the espionage article. The Lefortovo Court of Moscow registered the investigation's request to extend the period of detention under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for up to 20 years in prison. A court hearing on the matter was scheduled for August 25.

It was this fact that led to a question from French journalist Jerome Garraud during a direct line with Vladimir Putin. The journalist said that Vinatier's family was deeply concerned about the situation and asked about the possibility of amnesty or an exchange. According to him, the original sentence was passed under an "administrative article," and the new charge of espionage significantly worsens the situation of the political scientist.

At the same time, charges under the espionage article were filed back in August, although this information was not publicly disclosed. This indicates that the investigation into Vinatier is ongoing, despite the verdict already handed down in the previous case.

What did Putin say and what are the prospects?

Answering a question from a journalist, Vladimir Putin said that this was the first time he had heard about the Vinatier case, but promised to personally investigate the situation. "If there is at least some chance to resolve this issue positively, if the Russian law allows it, we will make all necessary efforts," the president stressed. However, he did not make specific promises, citing the need to comply with the law.

Lawyers explain that the possibility of pardon or amnesty exists, but only after the verdict has entered into force. Lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky noted that any convicted person can be pardoned, but this requires completed judicial proceedings. At the moment, the decision on the espionage case has not yet been made, which complicates the procedure.

At the same time, experts say, Putin's statement may indicate the possibility of a diplomatic settlement of the issue. Similar cases in the past have sometimes been resolved through exchanges or humanitarian gestures, especially when it came to foreign nationals convicted in Russia. However, the final decision will depend on the course of the investigation and the position of law enforcement agencies.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.