Blogger Ulyanov Accused of Extortion Kept in Custody in Volgograd

In Volgograd, blogger, public figure, and human rights activist Alexei Ulyanov, suspected of large-scale extortion, has been kept in a detention center. The accused«s wife reported that his pretrial detention was extended despite health problems.

As Elena Ulyanova told, the next court hearing took place on January 30 in the Central District Court in a closed format.

‘The Central District Court, represented by Judge Peremyshlina, kept Alexei Vladimirovich Ulyanov in custody until February 18, 2026, disregarding his health problems, the clear lack of medical assistance over two months in detention (except for «Ketorol» and «Diclofenac»), his status as a father of a large family, a volunteer, and a pile of certificates and positive character references,’ wrote Elena. ‘The investigation justified its position by stating that Ulyanov could influence witnesses and affect the course of the investigation if placed under house arrest.’

The information about the extension of Alexei Ulyanov«s pretrial detention was confirmed to V1.RU by the press service of the Volgograd Region courts.

Earlier, Alexei Ulyanov stated that he is being forced to confess to something he did not do. He wrote about this in his letter, which was published by his wife. According to the public figure, he is directly told that he and his wife will be sent to a colony, and their minor children — to an orphanage.

It is recalled that Alexei Ulyanov«s detention became known on the evening of December 2. The regional Investigative Committee reported: Alexei Ulyanov is suspected of committing several episodes of extortion, including one committed by a group of persons on an especially large scale with journalist and political scientist Mikhail Serenko, who was previously taken into custody. According to the investigation, starting from 2020, he demanded money from organization leaders and individual citizens for not disseminating damaging information. The amounts varied from 100,000 to 6 million rubles (approximately $1,100 to $66,700 at current rates). In court, it was clarified that the public figure did not receive this money, but only attempted to do so. When Ulyanov was being assigned a pretrial measure, he admitted that he indeed took money for publications, including from a well-known large grain trader already serving a sentence, but assured that he never extorted it.