Political scientist Kynev denied crutches in Moscow pretrial detention center — The Moscow Times
In Russia, in Moscow, detained political scientist and election expert Alexander Kynev is unable to walk because he was not given crutches in the pretrial detention center after breaking his leg. Journalist Hlib Yarovyi reported this, citing a letter from Kynev, The Moscow Times writes.
According to Yarovyi, Kynev was transferred to Moscow Pretrial Detention Center No. 4, known as “Medved.” The political scientist wrote that he remains in a cast and must wear it for about three more weeks, but is unable to walk.
Health condition and detention
Kynev also said that he is in quarantine and receives no information about events outside the detention center. The legal Telegram channel Slovo Zashchite stated that Kynev was allegedly beaten during his detention, as a result of which he suffered two fractures of the tibia. According to the channel, the political scientist was taken to a hospital at the Matrosskaya Tishina pretrial detention center.
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Lawyer Mikhail Biryukov had previously stated that he could neither confirm nor deny the information about the beating and fractures.
The case against the political scientist
On September 25, the Perovsky District Court of Moscow, in the aggressor state of Russia, remanded Kynev in custody on charges of attempting to sell a large quantity of drugs. The political scientist denies guilt. If convicted, he faces from 10 to 20 years in prison.
Kynev specializes in regional politics and elections in Russia, previously taught at the Higher School of Economics and headed the analytical department of the independent election-monitoring movement Golos. Before his arrest, he commented on the State Duma elections held on September 18–20. In February 2026, Russia’s Ministry of Justice added him to the register of “foreign agents,” accusing him of spreading false information about state policy and the electoral system, as well as cooperating with an organization designated “undesirable.”
