The arrest of Russian-Cypriot Igor Grechushkin has drawn attention due to his alleged involvement in the 2020 Beirut blast, a tragedy that resulted in the deaths of at least 218 people.
- The arrest of Russian-Cypriot Igor Grechushkin has drawn attention due to his alleged involvement in the 2020 Beirut blast, a tragedy that resulted in the deaths of at least 218 people.
Bulgarian police confirmed on Tuesday that Grechushkin, 48, was detained at Sofia airport after arriving from Paphos, Cyprus, on September 6. He was wanted by Lebanese authorities for his suspected role in the devastating explosion, which was caused by approximately 3,000 tonnes of improperly stored ammonium nitrate at the port of Beirut.
Upon his arrest, Grechushkin reportedly did not resist and cooperated fully with law enforcement. Zdravko Samuilov, head of the border police at Sofia airport, stated, “Nothing suspicious was found in his luggage.” His capture came as a result of an Interpol Red Notice, which is issued to locate and provisionally detain individuals pending extradition.
Questions have arisen regarding Grechushkin’s ability to travel without being apprehended in Cyprus, where he has been residing. The Cyprus police explained that there is no extradition agreement with Lebanon, stating, “Cyprus does not extradite Cypriot citizens to Lebanon.” This situation has led to scrutiny over the legal frameworks surrounding such cases.
Various media reports suggest that Grechushkin is linked to the MV Rhosus, a Moldovan-flagged cargo ship whose cargo was implicated in the Beirut explosion. The ship was carrying the dangerous cargo when it docked in Beirut, leading to one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history.
