Detention: January 28, 2026, Almaty, Kazakhstan. After deportation to the Russian Federation, he was detained by FSB officers immediately upon arrival in Moscow.

Sentence: As of July 18, 2026, no sentence has been issued. Oleksandr Kachkurkin is held in pre-trial detention centre No. 2 (Lefortovo), Moscow. He is charged under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code (state treason) for allegedly providing financial assistance to Ukraine. The article prescribes a penalty ranging from 12 years imprisonment to life imprisonment. Human rights defenders consider the prosecution politically motivated.

Oleksandr Mykhailovych Kachkurkin was born on February 14, 2000, in Alupka (Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine). After the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014, like most residents of the peninsula, he automatically received imposed Russian citizenship while remaining a citizen of Ukraine.

Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, Oleksandr moved to Kazakhstan, settling in Almaty. He worked in the information technology sector as a DevOps engineer and software developer. According to acquaintances, he participated in international IT projects, including collaborations with teams associated with OpenAI.

On January 28, 2026, Almaty police detained Oleksandr. On the same day, two administrative protocols were issued against him for allegedly jaywalking and smoking a hookah indoors.

The human rights project 'First Department' claimed these administrative materials were fabricated and used as a pretext for his forced expulsion from Kazakhstan. According to lawyer Yevhen Smirnov, the deportation decision was made within a few hours, which is atypical for such procedures.

After deportation to the Russian Federation, Oleksandr was detained by FSB officers directly on the plane. By January 31, 2026, a Moscow court ordered his detention. Russian authorities accused him of 'state treason,' claiming he allegedly made financial transfers to benefit Ukraine. Meanwhile, the criminal case materials remain sealed, and the content of the charges cannot be independently verified.

As of July 18, 2026, Oleksandr Kachkurkin remains in pre-trial detention centre No. 2 (Lefortovo), and the investigation into his case continues. There is no information in open sources about the case being transferred to court or a sentence being issued. His case is monitored by international and Russian human rights organizations, which view it as an example of politically motivated persecution of Ukrainian citizens following the full-scale war.

Information sourced from open sources: Krym.Realii, Suspilne Krym, Human Rights Project 'Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial', Human Rights Project 'First Department'.

Photo: Suspilne Krym.

Last updated: 18.07.2026.