A resident of the Khabarovsk Territory, Alexander Vechirko, was charged and his arrest was extended for 3 months. He is accused of financing the Armed Forces of Ukraine through cryptocurrencies, and, therefore, treason.

Vechirko was detained in June of this year. He made transfers using cryptocurrencies to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and faces 12 to 20 years in prison. FSB investigators collected evidence and charged Vechirko with high treason (Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

“FSB investigators charged a resident of the Khabarovsk Territory, Alexander Anatolyevich Vechirko, with committing a crime under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (treason). At the same time, the Lefortovo District Court extended the accused’s preventive measure in the form of detention for another three months,” a source told TASS.

According to investigators, 54-year-old Alexander Vechirko made transfers of funds through third parties who reside in Ukraine to a foreign charitable foundation. The money was supposed to go towards the purchase of various equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including drones, ammunition, thermal imagers and other support.

In February, it was reported that, according to Sberbank, Moscow-based cryptocurrency exchanges transferred over 500 million rubles to Ukraine.