A well known blogger and information entrepreneur, Dmitry Portnyagin, who goes by the nickname Transformer, claimed that his wife was detained after searches at his residence. He said he is currently located in a special military operations zone where humanitarian aid is being organized and distributed. He shared these updates on his Telegram channel.
Portnyagin described his location as being in the area of the Northern Military District, near the frontline where fighting has been taking place. He wrote that he is in proximity to the line of contact while performing tasks related to aid and support for civilians affected by the conflict.
The report notes that in the early hours of April 11, security forces conducted searches at Portnyagin’s home, his office, and his dacha. During these actions, his wife Ekaterina was detained in connection with a tax issue described in the Criminal Code as an evasion matter by an individual.
Portnyagin said the situation felt very unusual to him because the family had settled their tax debts in mid-2022, leaving only penalties to be resolved in court proceedings.
He announced his intention to cover the outstanding fines and penalties in full, totaling 64 million rubles, as a demonstration of responsibility and willingness to resolve the matter promptly, even without awaiting a court decision.
The report also notes that Portnyagin and his charitable foundation, described as a source of aid activities, had previously visited the special operations zone eight times to deliver humanitarian assistance to those in need.
With the ongoing events, Portnyagin expressed hope that his wife would be released from detention in the near term, hoping for a swift return to normal life for the family.
Earlier, the security services reportedly arrived at Portnyagin because of concerns about possible tax evasion. This update follows a broader pattern of scrutiny involving public figures who combine business, media activities, and charitable work in conflict zones.
Additionally, a separate clip circulated showing the moment of the search in the apartment of another public figure, Mitroshina, captured by a monitoring team. This video contributed to ongoing public discussion about the interactions between authorities and bloggers who operate in the information space around the conflict. [Citation: Portnyagin Telegram channel and related security reports]