At a court hearing in Warsaw on Tuesday, prosecutors read out testimony that Anatoly Blinov, a Russian lawyer with political asylum in Poland, gave during the investigation into attacks on Russian opposition activists. Blinov, who faces charges of organizing the assaults, disavowed the statements, according to reporters from the outlets Ekho and Vot Tak.
The interrogation protocol read in court states that businessman Leonid Nevzlin instructed Blinov to 'deal with' Leonid Volkov, head of political projects at the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), and economist Maxim Mironov. Volkov, who was not present at the hearing but was represented by his lawyer, also wrote about the allegations on social media.
Blinov said he disagrees with the testimony, claiming the interrogation took place in the morning when he 'couldn't think straight,' and that his answers may have been inaccurately translated and taken out of context. He denies giving instructions to attack Volkov, Mironov, or Mironov's wife, Alexandra Petrachkova, calling discussions of possible attacks 'hypothetical' and insufficient to support charges.
Blinov maintains that money he received from Nevzlin was not for attacks but to fund Action for Life, an organization that helps Ukraine. He said the foundation was registered in Poland at his request by Viktor Pavelko, whom investigators consider a middleman between Blinov and the attack's perpetrators. According to Blinov, Pavelko was supposed to account for expenses but failed to do so and returned only part of the funds.
Blinov was detained in September 2024 as part of an investigation into attacks on opposition figures abroad. In July 2026, after two years in custody, he was released under police supervision.
He faces charges over multiple incidents: organizing an attack in Vilnius and an attempted attack in New York on Volkov, an attack on Petrachkova, arson of a SHIZO installation in Vilnius, and intent to use forged documents. The prosecution alleges all crimes were ordered by a single person. Polish media have reported that the investigation links the order to Nevzlin, as did an FBK investigation. Nevzlin denies involvement in the attack and calls Blinov a provocateur.