Russian actor Kirill Kanakhin faces a treason trial, as reported by Kommersant. The case marks a high profile legal proceeding tied to alleged acts against the Russian state during recent turmoil.
According to the publication, the proceedings will be held by the 2nd Western District Military Court in Moscow. Kanakhin is accused of treason, terrorism, and other crimes connected to actions taken abroad during the conflict that Russia has been involved in. The charges align with allegations that have drawn international attention to individuals who took part in activities contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation.
After the onset of the special military operation, later referred to in Russia as the SVO, Kanakhin reportedly traveled to Ukraine and aligned himself with the Russian Volunteer Corps, an entity that the Russian authorities have designated as a terrorist organization. While part of the RDK, he is said to have participated in battles against Russian troops in the Kherson direction and in operations targeting border areas in the Bryansk region. These details illustrate the scope of involvement attributed to him and the severity of the accusations tied to his actions.
Because Kanakhin is currently in Ukraine, the court will hear the case in absentia. This procedural approach is used in several cases where defendants are outside the jurisdiction or otherwise unavailable to attend. In a related development, Denis Kapustin, the founder of the Russian Volunteer Corps and a key organizer of spring offensives on Russian territories, was previously sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia by Moscow authorities for similar offences connected to the group and its activities.
The narrative surrounding Kanakhin underscores a broader pattern in which figures connected to anti state violence or anti state groups are brought to trial outside normal in person attendance, while the legal framework continues to address acts of violence and treason as defined by federal law. Another note involves prior reports that a person with ties to the Kuzbass region faced detention for attempting to join Ukrainian armed forces, highlighting how regional backgrounds intersect with national security considerations during this period of conflict.