Russia detains 70-year-old Ukrainian Antarctic biologist Pshenychnov in occupied Crimea, accusing him of treason
Russian occupation forces in temporarily occupied Crimea have detained Leonid Pshenychnov, a 70-year-old Ukrainian marine biologist and Antarctic researcher who opposed Russia's stance on the Southern Ocean, particularly its industrial fishing policy. He has been charged with treason.
Source: National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine (NASC)
Details: Pshenychnov worked for many years at the Southern Research Institute of Marine Fishery and Oceanography in Kerch, Crimea.
In 2015, he moved to the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Ecology in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and later to its successor in Kyiv – the Institute of Fisheries, Marine Ecology and Oceanography.
Pshenychnov continued living in Crimea with his Ukrainian-issued passport, unable to leave his family behind.
The scientist specialises in the biological resources of the Southern Ocean and has authored numerous international papers on Antarctic krill stock assessment and ichthyofaunal diversity.
Since 1996, Pshenychnov has represented Ukraine in the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which applies an ecosystem-based approach to prevent over-exploitation of marine resources.
In particular, the commission sets quotas for catching Antarctic krill and commercial fish species and develops measures to protect the living marine resources of Antarctica. These include the establishment of reserves – specially protected areas of the Southern Ocean.
Until 2025, Pshenychnov was actively involved in the commission's work and served as Ukraine's official representative. He held the position of technical coordinator for scientific monitoring of marine resource harvesting aboard Ukrainian industrial vessels.
The scientist was also one of the authors of the rationale behind Ukraine's initiative to establish a new marine protected area (MPA) near the Antarctic Peninsula. However, this initiative, like similar ones, has been blocked by China and Russia, which consider it "inappropriate".
In September 2025, shortly before the next session of the commission, Leonid Pshenychnov was arrested as a "Russian citizen" after being forcibly issued a Russian passport.
The scientist was charged with treason and causing economic damage to Russia. His proposal to create an MPA was interpreted as an attempt to restrict the aggressor state's industrial fishing and to reduce its control over a strategically important sector of the global ocean.
"Let the Russians now try to deny that ecocide is a state policy of the Russian Federation. And let them once again repeat at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting their false refrain that 'Antarctica is outside politics', which they have used since 2014 to deflect attention from their war against Ukraine.
Unfortunately, Antarctica has not remained outside politics precisely because Russia has brought its policy of ecocide and repression against dissent even there. The 'Russian world' can bring evil even to the icy continent – and even there, this evil must be met with a united international response," emphasised NASC Director Yevhen Dykyi.
At this year's commission meeting, which recently began in Hobart, Australia, Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko called on member states to take note of Pshenychnov's unlawful imprisonment and urged them to support Ukraine in demanding the scientist's release.
He stressed that the persecution of the scientist is political in nature and aimed at undermining Ukraine's scientific contribution within CCAMLR. Myroshnychenko also described Pshenychnov's imprisonment as a gross violation of human rights.
According to the National Antarctic Scientific Center, the Australian delegation condemned the detention of the Ukrainian scientist. Their position was supported by EU member states, Norway, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and South Korea.
"We call on the global scientific and environmental community to stand in defence of a Ukrainian researcher of international standing. As recently as 2021, CCAMLR recognised Leonid's more than 20 years of contribution in its commemorative materials – and now the scientist is behind bars," the Antarctic Center stressed.
They also added that the biologist recently turned 70 and suffers from serious health problems, warning that any delay in his release could be life-threatening.
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