Yekaterina Schulmann Says Russian Election Expert Alexander Kynev’s Leg Was Broken While He Was Being Pressured To Confess To Treason

TL;DR

Prime Big Deal Days · Oct 6–7Offer from Amazon

Get everyday essentials delivered free — and shop member deals

• Fast, free delivery on millions of items
• Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
• Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included

Start your free Prime trial →Free trial for eligible customers · Cancel anytime

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.Hide

Political scientist Yekaterina Schulmann said on her show ‘Status’ that arrested election expert Alexander Kynev had his leg broken in two places while being pressured to confess to treason. Kynev’s lawyer says lawyers have no documents confirming her account, and the circumstances remain unverified.

Political scientist Yekaterina Schulmann said that Russian election expert Alexander Kynev, who was arrested this month on drug charges, had his leg broken in two places by people trying to force him to confess to treason. Speaking on the September 29 episode of her show “Status,” Schulmann said the injury occurred while Kynev was being detained and that it was subsequently used, along with “electrical devices,” in an effort to extract a confession — an effort she said failed.

“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,” Schulmann said, according to a report by the outlet Meduza on September 30. She added that the information had “come out” and was “now public knowledge, including internationally,” but did not say how she had learned it.

Kynev’s lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, pushed back on the claim, telling the outlet Ekho that “the lawyers have no documents confirming what Schulmann said.” His statement leaves the central allegation — that Kynev was pressured to confess to treason — without documentary confirmation at this stage.

What is documented is that Kynev was badly beaten during his detention, according to the outlet Slovo Zashchite, and that doctors later diagnosed two fractures in a lower leg bone. He was admitted to the hospital at the Matrosskaya Tishina pretrial detention center. Biryukov confirmed the hospitalization and said case materials concerning the unidentified people who injured Kynev during his detention are now part of a separate proceeding.

Why Kynev’s Case Is Drawing Attention

Kynev is described by Meduza as one of the most respected experts on Russian regional politics and elections, making his prosecution a politically charged case that Russian civil society and international observers are following closely. The new allegation — that injuries sustained during detention were used to press for a treason confession on top of the official drug charges — if accurate, would point to coercive interrogation methods being applied to a prominent independent analyst.

The case also fits a broader pattern of pressure on Russian political scientists, journalists and researchers since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a context in which accusations of treason have become increasingly common against critics of the Kremlin. However, the treason allegation currently rests solely on Schulmann’s account, which she did not source, and the lawyers’ inability to corroborate it means the claim should be treated as unconfirmed.

From Drug Charges to a Hospital Cell

On September 25, reports emerged that a court had ordered Kynev held in custody on charges of producing and selling large quantities of drugs. The following days brought reports from Slovo Zashchite that he had been badly beaten during detention, followed by the diagnosis of two fractures and his hospitalization at Matrosskaya Tishina. His lawyer has confirmed the beating and hospitalization, and investigators have opened a separate proceeding into the unidentified people who injured him.

Schulmann, a well-known Russian political scientist now based abroad, made the new allegations on September 29 on “Status,” her regular commentary show. Her remarks were reported in English by Meduza on September 30.

“The lawyers have no documents confirming what Schulmann said.”

— Mikhail Biryukov, Kynev’s lawyer, to Ekho

What Is and Isn’t Confirmed

Several elements of the story remain unverified or disputed. Schulmann did not disclose how she learned of the alleged pressure to confess to treason, and Kynev’s own lawyers say they have no documents supporting her account. It is not clear whether any treason case against Kynev exists formally, or whether the alleged interrogation pressure was tied to an open investigation.

By contrast, the beating itself, the two fractures, and Kynev’s hospitalization have been reported by Slovo Zashchite and confirmed by his lawyer, and a separate proceeding into his injuries has been opened. The identity of the people who injured him during detention remains unknown, and the outcome of that separate proceeding is pending.

The Custody Case and Abuse Inquiry

Kynev remains in custody on the drug charges, and future court hearings in that case are expected to determine whether his detention is extended. The separate proceeding into the people who injured him during detention could produce findings about how the fractures occurred, though it is unclear whether investigators will identify any suspects or whether the inquiry will be made public.

Schulmann said the information is now known internationally, and further statements from her, the defense team, or human rights organizations may follow. Whether Kynev’s lawyers gain access to materials that could confirm or refute the alleged pressure to confess to treason is a key question to watch.

Key Questions

Who is Alexander Kynev?

Kynev is a Russian political scientist widely regarded as one of the country’s leading experts on regional politics and elections. He was arrested and ordered held in custody on drug charges in September 2026.

What did Yekaterina Schulmann allege?

She said Kynev’s leg was broken in two places during his detention and that the injury, along with “electrical devices,” was used to pressure him to confess to treason — a confession she said he refused to give.

Has the treason-confession allegation been confirmed?

No. Kynev’s lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, said the lawyers have no documents confirming what Schulmann said, and she did not disclose her source for the information.

What has been confirmed about Kynev’s injuries?

Slovo Zashchite reported he was badly beaten during detention; doctors diagnosed two fractures in a lower leg bone, and he was hospitalized at the Matrosskaya Tishina pretrial detention center. His lawyer confirmed the beating and hospitalization, and a separate proceeding into the unidentified people who injured him has been opened.

What charges is Kynev officially facing?

A court ordered him held in custody on charges of producing and selling drugs in large quantities, according to reports that emerged on September 25. No treason charge against him has been officially reported.

Source: rss