Yuri was detained on the eve of the "Unified Voting Day" in February 2024. He was identified as the administrator of the Kirov Telegram channel, created in 2020, where he allegedly called on people to take to the streets, left offensive comments about security forces, registered with the "Plan Peramoga" group, and sent photos of homemade weapons to an anonymous chatbot.
On February 23, 2024, Yuri was tried on an administrative charge of "propaganda or dissemination of Nazi symbols" (Part 2, Article 19.10 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus). In June of that year, he was convicted of "insulting a government official." The details of the case are unknown.
On September 30, 2024, the Mogilev Regional Court heard his case behind closed doors under the articles "mass riots" and "inciting racial, national, religious, or other social hatred or discord." Details of the case and the court's decision are also unknown.
Even before entering prison, Yuri had a third-degree disability. His primary diagnosis was bilateral polysegmental pulmonary embolism. This is a blockage of the blood vessels in the lungs, which affects blood circulation and heart function. He also has diabetes, heart and vascular disease, leg problems, a herniated disc, and other chronic conditions.
On December 13, 2025, he was released following a visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Ukraine.
