April 08, 2026

Convicted for Crypto


Convicted for Crypto
Jail cell. The Russian Life File.

On April 3, a Bryansk resident was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison for "financing terrorism." Allegedly he transferred cryptocurrency to Artpodgotovka, a left-wing nationalist organization. The political entity was banned in Russia in 2017.

Former Saratov Duma legislator and blogger Vyacheslav Maltsev founded Artpodgotovka and its YouTube channel. The political activist designated November 5, 2017, as the "Day of Peaceful Revolution." Maltsev fled Russia before the day of action, but members of his organization protested across Russian cities and were arrested. In 2021, the FSB declared Artpodgotovka a "terrorist organization."

According to court documents, from September to December 2023, Vitaly Razlugo made 56 cryptocurrency transfers to Artpodgotovka. The total amount of money sent was R47,000 ($585). In his court deposition, the 42-year-old said he transferred the funds to "help migrants experiencing difficulties moving from Russia to the United States." Razlugo said he did not know that Artpodgotovka was banned in Russia.

On February 6, Razlugo's story became known after the court issued a press statement stating that he had been sent to a pre-trial detention center. The day prior, the defendant's name was added to Rosfinmonitoring's list of "terrorists and extremists."

Razlugo was found guilty of "financing terrorism." He will spend three years in prison and the remainder of his nine-year sentence in a maximum-security penal colony. He will also have to pay R300,000 ($3,734) in fines.

You Might Also Like

Groceries for International Women's Day
  • March 12, 2026

Groceries for International Women's Day

United Russia gifted groceries to elderly women, female volunteers, and widows of soldiers who died in Ukraine to celebrate International Women's Day.
Fight for an Apartment
  • February 11, 2026

Fight for an Apartment

Russian orphans have to fight in the war to access apartments they are legally entitled to.
Now Queen is LGBT Propaganda
  • February 04, 2026

Now Queen is LGBT Propaganda

A Moscow man was fined for "LGBT propaganda" after posting pictures from Queen's 1984 music video, "I Want to Break Free."
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955