By Shumaila Aslam
Scandinavian News Finland
Bureau Chief Pakistan
A Russian-born man who holds a Belgian passport has been charged with “treason” in Russia after authorities accused him of sending money to his former girlfriend.
The man, identified as Mikhail Loshchinin, was detained as soon as he entered Russia. Security officers reportedly checked his phone and discovered old chats with Ukrainian contacts.
According to his family, officers took him away “for a conversation,” but he was later moved to a detention facility where Ukrainian prisoners of war are usually held. His mother alleges that he was tortured there to force him into giving confessions.
Loshchinin is currently being held in a pre-trial detention center in Pskov, waiting for court proceedings. The treason charges are connected to a money transfer he made to his ex-girlfriend back in 2022.
Russian security services claim that she now uses a profile picture containing Ukrainian symbols, which they consider evidence that he “financed the enemy.”
His family says Loshchinin lived peacefully in Europe for 25 years and had no political involvement. Meanwhile, Belgian authorities are attempting to provide consular assistance, but Russia has so far refused to allow access to him.
The case has raised concerns among European officials and human rights groups, who fear it may reflect a growing trend of politically motivated detentions.
Read our detailed report on rising political arrests in Russia.
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