TL;DR
Get hardware and tech essentials delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Russian mathematician and journalist Semyon Krasotkin, 27, has been charged with treason and placed in pretrial detention, according to reporting by Vot Tak. Sources cited by the outlet said investigators pointed to Telegram “star” reactions worth 2,200 rubles, about $26, left on opposition and Ukrainian channels.
Russian mathematician and journalist Semyon Krasotkin, 27, has been charged with treason and ordered held in pretrial detention over paid reactions he left on opposition and Ukrainian Telegram channels, according to reporting by the Russian-language outlet Vot Tak. Sources cited by the outlet said investigators listed reactions worth 2,200 rubles, about $26, in the case.
Vot Tak reported that Krasotkin was detained at Domodedovo Airport in mid-August 2026, after returning from a trip to Kyrgyzstan. A source told the outlet that border guards searched his phone and found Telegram “stars,” the platform’s paid reactions and virtual currency, on posts in opposition and Ukrainian channels. The account of the search and the alleged reactions comes from sources cited by Vot Tak; the source material does not include a public statement from investigators.
After his detention, Krasotkin was kept in custody through successive jail terms for the administrative offense of “petty hooliganism,” Vot Tak’s sources said. The outlet reported that he was due to be released on September 17 but remained in custody and was taken to the Moscow office of the Federal Security Service, Russia’s domestic security agency. Sources said authorities opened a treason investigation and that a court ordered him held for two months on September 19.
One source told Vot Tak that the case file listed star reactions worth a total of 2,200 rubles. Another said Krasotkin had sent stars to a Ukrainian meme channel that was “probably” raising money for Ukraine’s armed forces. That description is an attributed assessment, not a confirmed finding about the channel’s purpose. The material provided does not say that Krasotkin was accused of sending money directly to a military organization.
Paid Telegram Reactions Under Scrutiny
The reported case illustrates how small payments or platform interactions may be examined in Russian criminal investigations involving alleged support for Ukraine. The amount cited by Vot Tak—2,200 rubles, about $26—is modest, but the reported charge is treason, which carries far more serious consequences than an administrative penalty. The allegations and legal basis have not been independently detailed in the source material.
It also raises questions for Russian users about the visibility of paid reactions on Telegram and whether interactions with channels can become evidence in criminal cases. In September, human rights advocates asked Telegram founder Pavel Durov to make paid reactions anonymous, citing prosecutions over them. The case’s reported focus on reactions to political and Ukrainian content gives that request added relevance, without establishing that Telegram has changed how the feature works.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Earlier Cases Involving Telegram Stars
Vot Tak’s report places Krasotkin’s case within a series of Russian investigations involving Telegram “stars.” Criminal investigations over the paid reactions have been reported since early 2026, the source material says. Initial cases involved allegations of financing terrorism; in the summer, the Telegram channel Tyuremny Advokat reported what it described as the first treason investigations over stars.
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 also 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. These biographical details do not establish the allegations in the criminal case.
“The source said border guards found “stars” on Krasotkin’s phone.”
— A source cited by Vot Tak
secure mobile phone case for privacy
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Details Of The Treason Case
The available reporting does not include the formal charge sheet, a detailed account of the evidence, or an official explanation of how investigators say the reactions amount to treason. It is also unclear whether authorities allege that Krasotkin knew of any fundraising purpose or intended to support Ukraine’s armed forces. The claim that the meme channel was raising money is attributed to a source and qualified as probable.
The source material does not identify Krasotkin’s lawyer, provide a response from him or his representatives, or report whether the detention order has been appealed. It says a court ordered two months of pretrial detention on September 19, but does not provide a later hearing date or clarify the current procedural status beyond the report’s account.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Court And Investigation Milestones
The next developments are likely to come through court proceedings and further information from the investigators or Krasotkin’s representatives. The source material says the September 19 order placed him in pretrial detention for two months; it does not state whether that period has been extended, whether investigators have completed their work, or when a subsequent hearing is scheduled.
Any assessment of the case will depend on the formal allegations and evidence made public, including how the authorities connect the Telegram reactions to the treason charge. Until those details are available, the reported value and purpose of the reactions should be treated as claims attributed to Vot Tak’s sources, not as findings established in court.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Who is Semyon Krasotkin?
Krasotkin is a 27-year-old mathematician and journalist from Moscow, according to Vot Tak. He earned a master’s degree from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and worked at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences.
What are Telegram “stars”?
They are paid reactions that also serve as Telegram’s virtual currency. Vot Tak reported that investigators cited reactions Krasotkin allegedly left on opposition and Ukrainian channels.
How much were the reactions allegedly worth?
A source cited by Vot Tak said investigators listed a total of 2,200 rubles, about $26. The report does not provide a transaction-by-transaction breakdown.
Has a court found Krasotkin guilty?
No conviction is reported. Vot Tak said a court ordered him held in pretrial detention for two months on September 19. The source material does not report a trial or verdict.
What remains unknown about the case?
The formal evidence, investigators’ full reasoning for the treason charge, and Krasotkin’s response have not been provided in the source material. It is also unclear whether authorities allege he knew the Ukrainian channel was raising funds for Ukraine’s armed forces.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
