Ukraine asking Austria to extradite ex-NBU head Shevchenko

Ukraine is asking Austria to extradite the former head of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), Kyrylo Shevchenko, who is suspected of embezzling Ukrgasbank's funds.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (NACB) Director Semen Kryvonos said this in an interview with Ukrinform, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"As far as I know, such a request was sent through the Prosecutor General's Office, but I cannot yet say about the achieved result," he said.

According to him, the question may arise on extradition because of the war.

He added that there are problems with the extradition of the NACB’s figures from European countries.

"In jurisdictions that do not belong to the European Union. There are problems with this, but we are working. We are scheduled to sign a memorandum with the European Prosecutor's Office. We were recently in France and talked about this topic with the leadership of the Central Office for Combating Financial and Tax Crimes of the criminal police, which at one time arrested Nicolas Sarkozy (former President of France - ed.). We met with the head of the National Financial Prosecutor's Office and representatives of the French Ministry of Justice. That is, we manage to achieve results through personal contacts," added the NACB director.

There are also issues of non-response by offshore jurisdictions.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the High Anti-Corruption Court allowed a trial in absentia against the former head of the National Bank, Kyrylo Shevchenko, who is suspected of embezzling budget funds.

Shevchenko, whom the NACB suspects of embezzling state funds of Ukrgasbank, requested political asylum in Austria.

The High Anti-Corruption Court arrested the former head of the National Bank, Kyrylo Shevchenko, in absentia.

The NACB put the former head of the National Bank, Shevchenko, on the wanted list.