Tomsk man who turned a water tower into a home fined 570,000 rubles over 7,000-ruble donations to Navalny's FBK
Radio host Alexander Lunev, who had emigrated to the Czech Republic, was arrested in August on a short trip to Russia; he pleaded guilty and was released after the verdict.
A district court in Tomsk on Friday convicted radio host and IT manager Alexander Lunev of “financing extremist activity” and fined him 570,000 rubles (about $6,300) for donations to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) founded by Alexei Navalny, Meduza and OVD-Info report. The regional prosecutor’s office confirmed the verdict to RIA Tomsk.
The case
According to investigators, between August 2021 and February 2022 Lunev made seven transfers of 1,000 rubles each to FBK — 7,000 rubles in total — after Russian authorities had already designated the foundation “extremist”. OVD-Info reports the court initially set a fine of 600,000 rubles and reduced it to account for the roughly three months he spent in pre-trial detention; he must also forfeit the 7,000 rubles.
Lunev pleaded guilty, saying he had set up automatic payments in response to the foundation’s appeal and “did not look into its status”. He was released from custody in the courtroom.
Who he is
Lunev became known in Tomsk after buying a derelict historic water tower from the city in 2012 and converting it into a home; he moved in in 2020. Two years later he emigrated to the Czech Republic. He was detained and arrested in August during a short visit to Russia.
By April 2026, Russian authorities had opened at least 225 criminal cases over donations to FBK, according to an estimate by Mediazona cited by Meduza.
Sardaana News editorial position
A handful of small monthly donations, made years ago, is enough to put a person in a cage and extract a public confession. Cases like this are a warning to Russian emigrants: anyone who returns, even briefly, can be prosecuted for past support of the opposition.
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