Extradition tug‑of-war: Russia and Poland vie for suspect in Bosnian custody
"Russia has filed a request for the extradition of its citizen held in custody in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whom Poland had previously requested for extradition," reports Radio Free Europe.
Russia has approached Bosnia and Herzegovina for the extradition of its citizen, who has been in Bosnian custody since November 2024. Earlier, Poland requested his extradition, suspecting him of espionage and sabotage. This information was provided by the Balkan editorial team of Radio Free Europe.
During the Thursday hearing, the Bosnian prosecutor's office revealed that Russia filed the extradition request in January. The man is suspected of organising training sessions for Moldovan citizens who were supposed to incite riots in their country. Poland is also demanding his extradition, accusing him of activities for foreign intelligence services.
Russian activity in the Balkans
The Russian was detained in November last year in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, near the border with Croatia, as he was preparing to flee the country.
During the interrogation, the man insisted that he has nothing to do with the acts he is suspected of, claiming it is a case of "political persecution" due to "the relations between Russia and Poland." In September, a European arrest warrant was issued for him - informed Radio Free Europe the District Court in Warsaw.
Moldovan services are investigating more than 100 young people trained in Russia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina to incite riots. In November 2024, the pro-European President of Moldova Maia Sandu won a second term, securing 55% of the votes. This event may have been one of the reasons for Russia's interest in the situation in the region.
