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- Forgot to unsubscribe: the number of criminal cases for donations to extremists is growing in the Russian Federation
Forgot to unsubscribe: the number of criminal cases for donations to extremists is growing in the Russian Federation
Security forces have become more active in the fight against the financing of organizations banned in Russia — not only large money transfers, but also regular online donations come under the attention of law enforcement agencies. In different parts of the country, trials have begun against citizens who had previously "harassed" extremists and terrorists. Transferring funds to "who doesn't need it" even by subscribing to a media resource can lead to fatal problems with the law and subsequent loss of rights. For more information about the prosecution for donations to foreign agents and terrorists— see the Izvestia article.
Transfer to a penal colony
Another high-profile case was initiated in St. Petersburg this week. According to the FSB in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, special service officers with the support of the Russian National Guard detained a Russian man suspected of financing extremist activities. The press service of the state security unit said that he transferred money to an American NGO whose activities are directed against Russia's security. And in March, the same FSB department detained a 23-year-old St. Petersburg woman who had previously "donated" to the extremist organization FBK, banned in Russia. The girl explained that she allegedly made transfers only in 2021 and 2022, and later became disillusioned with the organization and stopped financing. But the investigation has a different version.
Another case on financing extremism was initiated in May in Stavropol. This time, a 23-year-old resident of Mikhailovsk was prosecuted for providing financial support to a person listed in the register of foreign agents. The organization that owns the foreign agent was banned by the court and liquidated back in 2021 (it is not named in the text of the police release), but the young man continued to transfer money to a monthly subscription channel with extremist content on the video hosting site.
Each of the young people will have to bear responsibility under the article on financing extremism (Article 283.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
The special services also do not forget those who support or supported terrorists in rubles. As Izvestia found out, a 60-year-old local resident is being tried in Kostroma, who made 21 transfers to the extremist and terrorist organization "Artillery Preparation" (banned in Russia).
At the time of publication, there are 137 communities and movements in the list of organizations recognized as extremist in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.
Trends of the time
According to Izvestia's law enforcement source, the financing of extremism is gradually moving into the digital environment. The most common schemes remain online donations, subscriptions to media resources, transfers through banking applications, cryptocurrency transactions, transactions from anonymous electronic wallets, and fees "for humanitarian projects." Many defendants in criminal cases explain their actions by "inattention" or lack of information about the status of the organization, the source said. However, law enforcement agencies always point out that ignorance about the recognition of an extremist organization does not always absolve from responsibility.
— It is worth paying for any services using a bank transfer by phone number with caution - it is certainly convenient, but not quite legal, — the source explained. — This not only helps an unscrupulous trader to avoid taxes. This is also a risk of becoming an accomplice in the financing of prohibited structures. Of course, the investigation will look into whether the person had intent, but there will definitely be problems related to law enforcement issues.
The representative of the law enforcement agencies clarified that donations to various radical structures through card transfers from customers (of the same shawarma or fruit) were once a common practice.
— As a rule, this does not happen directly: first, funds are accumulated on one of the local accounts, then they are withdrawn to another. But based on the movement of funds, it is not difficult to identify everyone who invested in such fees," he said.
Caucasian risks
The southern regions of Russia remain in the zone of special attention, the Izvestia source admitted. Recruiters are actively working with the population, in some cases using a national or religious issue in a particular region. One of the largest criminal cases in recent months has been an investigation in Ingushetia, where a case was sent to court against two local residents accused of participating in a terrorist organization and financing terrorism. According to investigators, the defendants provided financial support to members of illegal armed groups.
This week, another possible terrorist aide, Khalid A., a resident of Dagestan, was sentenced. The court sentenced the man to 8.5 years of strict regime for cryptocurrency transfers of the banned in Russia MTO "Hayat Tahrir al—Sham".
Earlier in April, a local resident was exposed in Kabardino-Balkaria, who had been raising funds on his channel for 12 years under the guise of charitable assistance for people in difficult situations. In fact, the money was transferred by one of the ITOs (the name is not mentioned in the release of the regional IC).
Helping evil is forbidden
It should be recalled that since June 2025, the concept of "financing extremist activities" has officially been in force in Russian legislation. Lawyer Alexander Karelov explained to Izvestia the mechanism of operation of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Financing extremist activities"), which has been increasingly used in recent years in cases of donations, online subscriptions and money transfers. According to the defender, the responsibility comes not only for the direct transfer of money.
"The provision of property, such as cars, premises, equipment, or meeting areas, can also be considered financing extremist activities," Karelov said.
The expert stressed that extremist crimes are among the most dangerous.
"The people closest to you may be the victims of these crimes," the lawyer noted.
At the same time, Karelov drew attention to the growing number of fraudulent schemes related to the financing of extremism.
An exception to the rule
According to Alexander Karelov, telephone fraudsters and employees of Ukrainian information and psychological units often intimidate citizens with reports of alleged transfers in favor of the Armed Forces of Ukraine or banned organizations.
"A person gets lost, gets scared by the very wording of the article and begins to comply with the demands of the attackers," the lawyer noted.
At the same time, the lawyer recalled that the note to Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for the possibility of exemption from criminal liability if a person promptly informed law enforcement agencies that he transferred funds due to a misunderstanding or by mistake.
At the same time, the expert stressed that the article on financing extremist activities itself provides for serious sanctions, up to long terms of imprisonment.
"One should not play with financing organizations recognized as extremist,— Karelov concluded.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
