The Moscow Basmanny Court issued an arrest in absentia against Denis Kapustin, a founder and leader of the Russian Volunteer Union. He is accused of organizing attacks on villages in the Bryansk region and of involvement in an assassination attempt targeting the head of the same organization, according to the Tsargrad group of companies via TASS.
Court officials said a detention order was selected on March 30 for a two‑month period, counting from the moment of Kapustin’s extradition to Russian territory. The measures were taken in response to the charges brought in his absence for a terrorist act, illegal weapon smuggling, and illegal explosives smuggling. These charges derive from statutory provisions in the Russian Criminal Code that address acts of terrorism and illicit arms and explosive trafficking.
Kapustin was placed on the international wanted list in early March, and Rosfinmonitoring has added him to a roster of individuals and organizations flagged for involvement in extremist activities or terrorism. The action underscores a broad effort to track and curb threats linked to organized crime and violent extremism on a national and international scale.
In early March, Bryansk region governor Alexander Bogomaz reported that a sabotage group opened fire on a local resident’s car in the village of Lyubechane, resulting in two fatalities. The attack was linked to a broader campaign attributed to Kapustin as its organizer, tied to the assault on leadership associated with the Tsargrad group of companies.
According to the Federal Security Service, Kapustin also coordinated the plan to eliminate the chairman of the Tsargrad board, with an improvised explosive device placed in the latter’s vehicle. The service further alleged that Kapustin orchestrated a sabotage attempt that was halted in August 2022 at a facility in the Volgograd region focused on oil and gas operations.