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Political scientist Yekaterina Schulmann said on her show ‘Status’ that arrested Russian election expert Alexander Kynev had his leg broken in two places during detention and was pressured to confess to treason, which he refused. Kynev’s lawyer says the defense has no documents confirming her account, though hospitalization after a beating is confirmed.
Political scientist Yekaterina Schulmann said that Russian election expert Alexander Kynev, arrested earlier this month on drug charges, had his leg broken in two places by people trying to force him to confess to treason — an accusation he refused, according to her remarks on the September 29 episode of her show “Status.” Her account adds a new and severe allegation to a case that has already drawn attention to the treatment of a prominent specialist on Russian regional politics.
Schulmann said on her show that Kynev’s injuries occurred during his detention. “His leg really was broken in two places while he was being detained. That’s true, too. It’s also true that they used what had happened to his leg, along with electrical devices, to try to get him to confess to treason. He did not,” she said, as reported by Meduza on September 30. She added that the information had “come out” and was “now public knowledge, including internationally,” but did not explain how she had learned of it.
Kynev’s lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, pushed back on the specifics. He told the outlet Ekho that “the lawyers have no documents confirming what Schulmann said.” The claim that electrical devices were used, and that interrogators sought a treason confession, therefore rests on Schulmann’s account alone.
What is documented is that Kynev was badly beaten during his detention, according to the outlet Slovo Zashchite. Doctors diagnosed two fractures in a lower leg bone, and he was admitted to the hospital at the Matrosskaya Tishina pretrial detention center. Biryukov confirmed the hospitalization and said the case materials concerning the unidentified people who injured Kynev during his detention are now part of a separate proceeding.
Why Kynev’s Case Draws Attention
Kynev is described by Meduza as one of the most respected experts on Russian regional politics and elections, making his arrest and treatment a matter of public concern well beyond his personal circumstances. His detention on drug charges followed a pattern that Russian and international observers have repeatedly flagged: critics and independent experts facing prosecution on charges that rights groups say are often used to pressure them.
The new allegation — that force was used in an attempt to extract a treason confession from him — if accurate, would suggest the drug case may be a vehicle for a more serious political prosecution. That claim is unverified, but Schulmann’s decision to state it publicly, and her remark that the information is now known internationally, signals that colleagues see the case as raising serious questions about his treatment in custody.
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Timeline of Kynev’s Arrest
On September 25, reports emerged that a Russian court had ordered Kynev held in custody on charges of producing and selling drugs on a large scale. Reports from Slovo Zashchite then said he was badly beaten at the time of his detention.
Medical evaluation followed: doctors found two fractures in a lower leg bone, and Kynev was hospitalized at Matrosskaya Tishina, the Moscow pretrial detention facility. Biryukov confirmed the hospitalization and said a separate proceeding had been opened concerning the unidentified people who injured him. On September 29, Schulmann made her on-air allegation about the pressure to confess to treason, and Meduza reported her remarks the following day.
“the lawyers have no documents confirming what Schulmann said”
— Mikhail Biryukov, Kynev’s lawyer, to Ekho
Unverified Claims in Schulmann’s Account
Several elements of Schulmann’s account remain unconfirmed. She did not disclose her source for the information, and Kynev’s own defense team says it has no documents backing her claims, according to Biryukov’s statement to Ekho.
The specific allegations that electrical devices were used and that interrogators sought a treason confession are attributed only to Schulmann. The beating itself, the two leg fractures, and the hospitalization are separately corroborated, but who injured Kynev and why remains part of an ongoing separate proceeding involving unidentified individuals. It is also unclear whether any treason-related investigation against Kynev exists.
The Separate Proceeding and Court Process
The separate proceeding concerning the people who injured Kynev during his detention is ongoing, and its findings — if made public — could shed light on how the fractures occurred. Kynev remains in custody on the drug production and sale charges, and the case will proceed through the Russian court system.
His defense team may seek access to medical and detention records relevant to the beating, and further statements from Kynev himself, his lawyers, or other colleagues could clarify or contradict Schulmann’s account. Watch for additional reporting from Meduza, Ekho, and Slovo Zashchite, which have driven coverage of the case so far.
Key Questions
Who is Alexander Kynev?
A Russian political scientist regarded as one of the country’s most respected experts on regional politics and elections. He was arrested and ordered held in custody in September 2026 on drug charges.
What did Yekaterina Schulmann allege?
She said on her show that Kynev’s leg was broken in two places during detention and that the injury, along with electrical devices, was used to pressure him to confess to treason — which he refused to do.
Is the beating confirmed?
Yes, in part. Outlets reported he was badly beaten during detention, doctors diagnosed two lower-leg fractures, and he was hospitalized at Matrosskaya Tishina. His lawyer confirmed the hospitalization, and a separate proceeding has been opened over the injury.
Why is the treason claim disputed?
Kynev’s lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, told Ekho that the lawyers have no documents confirming Schulmann’s account, and Schulmann did not say how she learned of it. The claim remains unverified.
What charges does Kynev officially face?
A court ordered him held on charges of producing and selling drugs on a large scale, according to reports from September 25. No treason charge has been officially announced.
Source: rss
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