Bulgaria – extradition to face US sanctions charges

Further to our earlier post, it is now being reported that the Bulgarian authorities have extradited Russian national Oleg Olshansky to face charges of breaching the US’s Russian sanctions and money laundering.

Mr Olshansky had appealed an earlier decision approving his extradition.

Mr Olshansky and another Russian national extradited from Bulgaria, Mr Sergey Ivin have now been charged by the US authorities.

Bulgaria – extradition of Russian national to face US sanctions charges

It is being reported that the Bulgarian authorities have approved the extradition of Sergey Ivin who was arrested at Sofia Airport in October 2025.

Extradition has been sought following an indictment that he was involved in the sale of sanctioned metallurgical products between 2017 and 2021 valued at US$350 million.

Mr Ivin has denied the charges.

The same report notes that a second extradition request in the same case, for Oleg Olshansky, is still being considered in the Bulgarian courts.

Sweden – man arrested for possible extradition to face US sanctions charges

It is being reported that Sweden’s Security Service, Säpo, conducted an operation in December involving raiding premises in Stockholm and arresting a Russian national for potential extradition to the US to face charges of breaching the US sanctions against Russia.

The Stockholm District Court has ordered the man’s detention pending extradition proceedings.

The alleged conduct is said to have taken place in 2022 and 2023 but no further details are available.

France – extradition to the US to face Russian export charges

On 4 November, the US Justice Department issued a press release following the extradition from France of Yana Leonova to face charges of exports of aviation equipment to Russia in breach of US sanctions.

The press release gives little information on when she was arrested or whether the extradition was contested.

It is alleged that she falsified the final destinations for exports and used a variety of front companies in Armenia, the Maldives and elsewhere.

Estonia – extradition to US on charges of supplying US goods to Russia

The US Department of Justice has issued a press release confirming that the Estonian authorities have transferred Estonian national Andrey Shevlyakov to US custody for extradition to the US to face 18 counts of supplying US goods and technology to Russia in breach of US sanctions.

It is being reported that Mr Shevlyakov was first detained in March 2023 as part of a joint investigation between US and Estonian authorities.

Cyprus – extradition of individual to face US sanctions charges

The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York has issued a press release, providing details of the arrest in Cyprus of Arthur Petrov a Russian-German national in August 2023 for the purposes of extradition to face charges in the US of breaching US sanctions against Russia.

Petrov only arrived in New York in August 2024 suggesting prolonged extradition proceedings in Cyprus.

Petrov operated the Cypriot company Astrafteros Technokosmos LTD, via which he procured US-origin microelectronics for onward sale, ultimately, to the Russian military through the company LLC Electrocom VPK.

Two other co-defendants remain at large.

Romania – authorities arrest and extradite suspect to the US

The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has issued a press release concerning the guilty plea by Mohammad Bazzi on charges of conspiracy to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

The press release confirmed that Bazzi was arrested in Romania in March 2023 by the Romanian authorities, and was then subsequently extradited to the United States to face the charges there.

Cyprus – Russian-German national extradited to the US

A press release from the United State’s Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has included details of an arrest and extradition by the Cypriot authorities in support of US charges of sanctions and export control violations.

On 26 August 223, Arthur Petrov was arrested in Cyprus in relation to:

“export control violations, smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering offenses in connection with his alleged participation in a scheme to procure U.S.-sourced microelectronics subject to U.S. export controls on behalf of a Russia-based supplier of critical electronics components for manufacturers supplying weaponry and other equipment to the Russian military”.

Mr Petrov operated the scheme through his Cypriot company Astrafteros Technokosmos LTD.

His extradition from Cyprus was completed and he arrived in the US on 8 August 2024.

UK – extradition to the US for person suspected of Iran sanctions breaches

A press release from the  US Department of Justice records that an individual, Saeid Haji Agha Mousaei, was arrested in the UK on 24 January 2023 pursuant to an Interpol diffusion notice.

Mr Mousaei was then subsequently extradited to the US where he faces multiple charges arising from the alleged supply of “controlled electronics with military applications, including signals equipment like oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers, for export and re-export to Iran”.

It is alleged that false documentation was prepared which indicated that the goods were to remain in countries such as the UAE and Armenia, but the goods were all transshipped to Iran via the UAE.

Italy – arrest of individual who assisted avoidance of extradition to US

Further to our earlier post, it is being reported that the Italian authorities have today arrested a Russian national on suspicion of providing assistance to Artem Uss who fled Italy after a court had ordered his extradition to the United States to face charges relating to breaches of US sanctions against Venezuela.

The individual has been identified as Dmitry Chirakadze who was arrested at Rome’s airport.

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The opinions expressed on this blog are those of the author and are not to be construed as legal advice.

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