Haskovo court detains Russian wanted by Moscow on weapons, extremism charges
The 40-year-old was caught near Sladun after entering from Turkey. He says he has political asylum in Turkey and is seeking protection in Bulgaria too.
Graphic: TERRA WORLD NEWS (own graphic based on the sources listed)
A regional court in Haskovo has ordered a 40-year-old Russian citizen held for up to 40 days after he was flagged by Interpol for extradition. Russian authorities have been seeking him since 2020 on three charges: involvement in illegal firearms production, illegal acquisition, possession and sale of weapons and ammunition, and organising the activities of an extremist group. The charges carry up to 10 years in prison.
The man was detained a few days ago near the border village of Sladun, close to Svilengrad, after entering Bulgaria from Turkey. He told the court he has lived in Turkey for 19 years with political asylum and is also seeking asylum in Bulgaria. The court ordered his detention because he carries no identity papers other than a driving licence and has no address in the country. The ruling can be appealed to the Plovdiv Court of Appeal.