Greece and Cyprus Turn Down Ukrainian Extradition Requests for Pro‑Russian Figures

Greece's Appeals Council denied Ukraine's request to extradite a 54‑year‑old former Odesa city councilor linked to the pro‑Moscow Party of Regions. Arrested in Halkidiki, the court said he would face safety risks in war‑torn Ukraine and he remains in Greece.

In a separate case, a Ukrainian court cleared former MP Oleksandr Hranovskyi of a 2015 embezzlement charge after the statute of limitations expired. Cyprus lawyers warned that the proceedings illustrate the risk of “transnational repression” through misuse of extradition and judicial cooperation, a concern echoed by the Council of Europe.