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Russia Investigative Committee uses Cellebrite UFED in Pivovarov prosecution

Law Enforcement
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Last updated
Happening score
H score 22
1 unique sources, 1 articles

Summary

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Russian investigators seized and searched Andrey Pivovarov's phone and laptop in June 2021, using Cellebrite UFED tools to build a case tied to his opposition work. The forensic record names UFED Physical Analyzer and UFED 4PC and shows searches for Open Russia contacts and activist figures. The action expanded official access to a detained activist's data and linked commercial forensic tooling to a political prosecution.

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About this happening: Boniface Mwangi suffered a **forensic extraction** incident while his **Samsung** phone was in **Kenyan police custody**, creating a risk that private messages and other sensitive...

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Timeline

  1. 26.06.2026 11:49 1 articles · 2h ago

    Russian authorities seize Andrey Pivovarov's iPhone 12 and MacBook at St. Petersburg airport

    Untyped Phase

    Russian authorities confiscated Andrey Pivovarov's iPhone 12 and MacBook at St. Petersburg airport after he was pulled off a flight, placing both devices into custody.

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  2. 26.06.2026 11:49 2 articles · 2h ago

    MobileLockdown records and a Russian forensic report point to Cellebrite UFED access to Pivovarov's phone

    Technical Analysis Update

    MobileLockdown records showed a June 17, 2021 trusted USB pairing to a host ID matching a Cellebrite fingerprint, and the Russian forensic report titled "Forensic Expert Report No. 1269-17" named Cellebrite's UFED Physical Analyzer and UFED 4PC while documenting searches for Open Russia Civic Movement and named opposition figures.

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  3. 25.06.2026 03:00 1 articles · 1d ago

    Citizen Lab publishes findings on Cellebrite UFED use in Pivovarov's case

    Initial Disclosure

    Citizen Lab published findings that Russian authorities used Cellebrite's UFED on Andrey Pivovarov's iPhone in June 2021, relying on phone traces and an official Russian government report that named the tool.

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