Russia issues international arrest warrant for exiled chess champion

Russian authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for Garry Kasparov, charging him in absentia with justifying terrorism and violating regulations related to foreign agents, according to case materials cited by TASS.

The documents state: “Garry Kasparov has been charged (in absentia) with offences under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (justification of terrorism on the internet), Part 2 of Article 330.1 and Part 2 of Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the regulations governing the activities of a foreign agent). A federal and interstate search for G. K. Kasparov has been announced by circular, <…> and an international search has been issued.”

According to the case materials, on December 22, 2025, the Zamoskvoretsky District Court ordered a preventive measure against Kasparov in the form of detention. The ruling stipulates a two-month custody period starting from the moment he is transferred to Russian law enforcement authorities in the event of extradition or deportation to Russia, or from the moment of his actual detention on Russian territory.

Kasparov, a Soviet-born chess player, is widely known as the 13th World Chess Champion. He holds the title of Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR and is an eight-time winner of the Chess Olympiad. He retired from professional chess in 2005.

In 2012, he was elected to the Coordination Council of the Russian opposition, after which he announced his departure from Russia and continued his political activities abroad.

Following the start of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine in February 2022, Kasparov became one of the organisers of the Free Russia Forum and the Russian Action Committee. He later joined the Anti-War Committee of Russia, which was subsequently designated an undesirable organisation by the Prosecutor General’s Office.

In 2024, his name was added to the registry of extremists and terrorists maintained by Rosfinmonitoring.

By Tamilla Hasanova