Cyprus court orders extradition of Israeli man to Russia over 2009 ship hijacking

A court in Cyprus has ruled that a 47-year-old Israeli national, Alexey Kratsgor, should be extradited to Russia in connection with a 2009 cargo ship hijacking case.

Kratsgor was detained at Larnaca International Airport after arriving on the island for a holiday, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The decision follows an international arrest warrant issued by Russian authorities over the seizure of a cargo vessel sailing under the Belarusian flag.

Russian investigators allege that Kratsgor was involved in planning the operation alongside other suspects. Court materials submitted via Interpol state that the ship’s crew were taken hostage during the incident and later freed with the involvement of Russian military forces.

Most of the other individuals implicated in the attack have already been convicted in Russia and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 11 to 15 years.

Kratsgor denies any involvement, while his family maintains that he is innocent. He said he arrived in Cyprus around four and a half months ago aboard a cruise ship and was arrested immediately after passing through border control. He added that he had previously travelled abroad without restriction.

Russian authorities claim that following the 2009 incident, Kratsgor moved to Israel, obtained citizenship and served in the Israeli Border Police and the Prison Service.

He is currently being held in custody in Cyprus. His legal team plans to appeal the extradition order before the country’s Supreme Court, challenging the ruling. Through relatives, Kratsgor has said he fears for his life and believes that being handed over to Russian authorities would pose a threat to his safety.

By Aghakazim Guliyev