Interpol
has issued a global "red notice" for former Ukrainian President
Viktor Yanukovych. The 64-year-old is accused of financial wrongdoing. Russian
sources have indicated Moscow would be unlikely to extradite him.
Deutsche Welle, 12 Jan 2015
International
police network Interpol said on Monday it had placed Yanukovych on its
international wanted list on charges of embezzlement and financial wrongdoing.
Ukrainian
authorities said Interpol's publication of the "red notice" -
authorizing Yanukovych's arrest - empowered any police force to hand him over
to Ukraine.
However,
Russia - where Yanukovych has taken refuge since he was ousted from power in
February 2014 - is unlikely to extradite him, according to a source familiar
with the situation.
Probe into
'The Family'
Yanukovych
fled to Russia in February after months of street protests in Kiev over his
decision to withdraw from an association agreement between Ukraine and the EU.
Yanokovych was said to have been intent instead on strengthening Kyiv's
economic and political ties with Moscow.
Pro-Western
authorities have accused Yanukovych - as well as a group of relatives and close
allies known as The Family - of accumulating huge wealth by robbing state funds
and plundering national assets.
Yanukovych,
who Russia claims was the victim of a coup, denies that he or members of his
family were involved in corruption.
rc/tj (AF, Reuters)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.