A relative of detained political scientist Alexander Kynev called the case against him “a pure setup”

A relative of detained political scientist Alexander Kynev called the case against him “a pure setup”The criminal drug case against political scientist Alexander Kynev is “a pure setup,” one of his close relatives said in a conversation with Verstka.

“He has never used drugs in his life. He does not even smoke, he never smoked, and he barely drinks alcohol. Any fool can see that if this is a drug trafficking case, then it is a pure setup,” he said.

According to him, Kynev “has always had an extremely negative attitude toward the criminal world, including drug dealers.”

🟪Earlier, Mediazona reported Alexander Kynev’s arrest. According to the outlet, the political scientist was sent to a pre-trial detention center as part of a case on illegal production, sale, or shipment of drugs on a large scale (paragraph “g,” part 4, Article 228.1 of the Criminal Code). Kynev’s lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, told Meduza that his client does not admit guilt.

🟪Alexander Kynev is a Russian political scientist and election expert specializing in regional politics. He taught at the Higher School of Economics (HSE University). In February 2026, Kynev was designated a “foreign agent.”

Read the full story on the website. Link not opening? Read it here.

😘 Subscribe to @svobodnieslova and donate — we work thanks to you