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Historian Detained in Israel; Family Suspects Spy Case
Historian Detained in Israel; Family Suspects Spy Case
Solange ReynerMon, September 7, 2026 at 6:33 PM UTC2 min readAdd Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.Key takeawaysPowered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.- Russian-Israeli historian Artem Kirpichenok has been held in Israeli custody for over a month on suspicion of espionage, with his family believing the allegations stem from dealings with a foreign intelligence operative.
- Kirpichenok, who was detained by Shin Bet upon landing in Tel Aviv for an academic conference, is being held in a facility in Petah Tikva under conditions that include being alone in a cell that is never dark, not being taken outside, and having no reading or writing materials.
- Despite a court gag order preventing publication of details about the case, Kirpichenok's attorney has requested to throw out a confession obtained under pressure, while the Russian Embassy has sought consular access but has been denied due to Kirpichenok holding Israeli citizenship.
A Russian-Israeli historian who flew to Tel Aviv for an academic conference has been held without public explanation for more than a month, and his family believes Israeli investigators are pursuing espionage allegations, the independent Russian outlet Meduza reported.
Artem Kirpichenok, 51, was detained by officers of Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, when he landed Aug. 2.
He has been in custody since. Israeli authorities have not said why, and a court gag order bars publication of details about the case.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRelatives told Meduza that, based on unofficial accounts, the suspicions involve spying and dealings with a foreign intelligence operative.
A person close to the family said the agent is not tied to Lebanon or Iran, and questioned the premise if the country in question is Russia, where Kirpichenok has lived since 2005 and which cooperates with Israel on intelligence matters.
Kirpichenok is being held at a Shin Bet facility in Petah Tikva. He is alone in a cell that is never dark, is not taken outside, and has been given nothing to read or write with, a family representative said.
His attorney, Inna Lebedinskaya-Katz, asked a court in Ashkelon on Aug. 27 to throw out a confession, arguing it was obtained under pressure, Meduza reported. She has declined to comment, citing the gag order.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe family said Kirpichenok met her only once, on Aug. 23, and told her he had incriminated himself falsely. A request to move him to house arrest was denied.
Family members said investigators threatened to seize his apartment in Ashkelon and deport him to Ukraine. Meduza noted there is no independent confirmation of those claims.
A formal charging document was expected Sept. 4, which would give the defense access to the case file.
Kirpichenok, a St. Petersburg native, studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and served in the Israeli military before returning to Russia.
He wrote on the Middle East for Turkey's TRT and the Azerbaijani outlet Caliber, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli policy toward Palestinians. One of his books describes Israel as a colonial outpost rather than a Jewish national homeland.
AdvertisementAdvertisementFriends who organized a support campaign suspect the conference was a pretext to draw him to Israel. Family members contacted the municipality where it was to be held and were told no such event took place, Meduza reported.
Russia's Embassy has sought consular access but has not been granted it because Kirpichenok holds Israeli citizenship.
Valery Fadeev, who chairs the Kremlin's human rights council, wrote to a U.N. working group on arbitrary detention on Aug. 28 seeking an explanation.
Shin Bet did not respond to Meduza's request for comment.
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