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Russian mathematician and journalist Semyon Krasotkin, 27, has been charged with treason and ordered held in pretrial detention, according to reporting by Vot Tak cited by Meduza. Sources told Vot Tak that investigators cited Telegram “stars” worth 2,200 rubles, about $26, which Krasotkin had sent to Ukrainian and opposition channels. The specific allegation supporting the treason charge has not been made clear in the available reporting.
Russian mathematician and journalist Semyon Krasotkin, 27, has been charged with treason and placed in pretrial detention after border guards reportedly found paid Telegram reactions on his phone, according to reporting by Vot Tak cited by Meduza. Sources told Vot Tak that investigators listed reactions worth 2,200 rubles, about $26, sent to Ukrainian and opposition channels; authorities have not publicly detailed the evidence or the specific conduct they say amounts to treason.
Krasotkin was detained at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport in mid-August 2026 after returning from Kyrgyzstan, a source told Vot Tak. Border guards searched his phone and found “stars,” Telegram’s paid reactions and virtual currency, on posts in opposition and Ukrainian Telegram channels, the outlet reported. The account of the airport search comes from sources cited by Vot Tak, rather than a public statement from Russian authorities.
After his detention, Krasotkin was held through consecutive jail terms for the administrative offense of petty hooliganism, according to Vot Tak’s sources. He was due to be released on September 17 but remained in custody and was taken to a Moscow office of Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB. Sources told Vot Tak that the agency opened a treason investigation. A court ordered him held in pretrial detention for two months on September 19.
One source told Vot Tak that investigators cited Telegram stars totaling 2,200 rubles. Another source said Krasotkin had sent stars to a Ukrainian meme channel that was “probably” raising funds for Ukraine’s armed forces. That description is a source’s assessment, not confirmation of the channel’s purpose or of how investigators characterize the payment. The available reporting does not establish whether Krasotkin knew of any fundraising activity.
Paid Reactions in Treason Cases
The reported case adds to concerns in Russia about whether small digital payments or other activity on social platforms can become grounds for serious criminal investigations. Treason charges carry a far greater consequence than the administrative offenses under which Krasotkin was initially held, but the public information so far does not explain the legal theory behind this case or establish what the stars were intended to support.
The case also matters because it could affect how people use Telegram’s paid reactions, which are visible interactions with posts. In September, human rights advocates asked Telegram founder Pavel Durov to make such reactions anonymous, citing prosecutions of Russians over them, Meduza reported. Krasotkin’s case illustrates the concern raised by advocates, but the details available do not show what material investigators have gathered beyond the reported reactions.
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How the Detention Developed
Vot Tak’s reporting places Krasotkin’s airport detention in mid-August 2026, followed by repeated short jail terms before his reported treason investigation. The shift to a treason case came after his expected release date of September 17; the court’s detention order followed two days later. The reported timeline is based on sources cited by Vot Tak.
Krasotkin has a background in mathematics and journalism. He earned a master’s degree from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and worked as a mathematician at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences. He joined Russian Wikinews at 16; its website lists him as one of nine administrators and says he has published more than a million news items.
Meduza reported that Russian criminal investigations involving Telegram stars had been reported since early 2026, initially in cases alleging financing of terrorism. In the summer, the Telegram channel Tyuremny Advokat reported what it described as the first treason investigations over stars. Those cases provide context, but do not establish that the allegations or evidence in Krasotkin’s case are the same.
“The investigators listed “star” reactions worth a total of 2,200 rubles in Krasotkin’s case.”
— A source cited by Vot Tak
What the Charge Alleges
Russian authorities have not publicly described the evidence or the alleged acts underpinning the treason charge in the material cited by Meduza. It is not clear whether investigators allege that Krasotkin knowingly financed Ukraine’s armed forces, what role the reported reactions play in the case, or whether the value of the stars is the full basis for the investigation.
The detention account, the phone search, the reported threats, and the investigation details are attributed to sources speaking to Vot Tak. The available report does not include a response from Krasotkin, his lawyer, the FSB, or the court. It also does not say whether prosecutors have formally filed a final indictment or what evidence a court has reviewed beyond ordering him held in custody.
Court Review and Case Details
The reported court order placed Krasotkin in pretrial detention for two months from September 19. The available reporting does not specify the exact date that period ends, whether it has since been extended, or when a further court hearing is scheduled. Authorities may disclose additional details as the investigation proceeds, but no next hearing or public statement is identified in the source material.
Further reporting will be needed to establish the formal wording of the accusation, the evidence presented to the court, and whether Krasotkin or a representative contests the allegations. Until those details are public, the reported payments and channel activity should not be treated as proof of treason.
Key Questions
Who is Semyon Krasotkin?
Krasotkin is a 27-year-old mathematician and journalist from Moscow. He earned a master’s degree from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, worked at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences, and is listed as an administrator of Russian Wikinews.
What are Telegram “stars”?
They are paid reactions that also function as virtual currency on Telegram. Vot Tak’s sources said investigators cited stars worth 2,200 rubles in Krasotkin’s case.
Why was Krasotkin reportedly charged with treason?
Sources told Vot Tak that authorities found stars on posts in Ukrainian and opposition channels, including a Ukrainian meme channel that one source said was probably raising funds for Ukraine’s armed forces. Authorities have not publicly explained the legal basis or the full allegation in the reporting available.
How much were the reactions worth?
A source cited by Vot Tak said investigators listed a total of 2,200 rubles, about $26. The source material does not give a separate valuation method or say whether this amount represents all the evidence in the case.
What happens next in the case?
Krasotkin was reportedly ordered held in pretrial detention for two months on September 19. The next hearing, any detention extension, and further details of the treason allegation have not been identified in the available report.
Source: rss
