News Feed

Media: French court rejects Ukraine's appeal to extradite oligarch

2 min read
Media: French court rejects Ukraine's appeal to extradite oligarch
Kostyantyn Zhevago leaves after his extradition hearing before the investigating chamber of the Court of Appeal of Chambery, central-eastern France, on March 16, 2023. (Jeff Pachoud/AFP via Getty Images)

A French court has rejected an appeal from Ukraine's government to extradite Ukrainian oligarch Kostyantyn Zhevago due to procedural concerns, Reuters reported on Nov. 10, citing a court verdict the news agency had obtained.

The court concluded that Ukraine is unable to guarantee that the billionaire "will be tried by a court that can ensure fundamental procedural guarantees and protection of the defense rights," the verdict read.

Zhevago is an ex-member of parliament who lives in France and controls the iron pellet producer Ferrexpo.

Ukraine wants him extradited in connection to 2019 charges of embezzling and laundering $113 million at Finance & Credit Bank, a bank that collapsed in 2015.

In 2021, he was put on the Interpol wanted list and was arrested in France in December 2022 at Ukraine's request. He was later released on bail for 1 million euros ($1.1 million).

A French court determined in March that Zhevago should not be extradited.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) then announced in August 2023 that the oligarch is suspected of having bribed the head of the Supreme Court and other Supreme Court judges in exchange for a decision in his favor.

Earlier this year, Zhevago transferred $2.7 million to his lawyer, of which $1.8 million was intended to be the bribe for the Supreme Court, and the rest was for the legal advisor's "mediation services," NABU said.

The head of the Supreme Court was charged with corruption in May.

Investigative Stories from Ukraine: Authorities yet to seize assets of Putin’s ex-right-hand man
Welcome to Investigative Stories from Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent’s newsletter that walks you through the most prominent investigations of the past week. If you are fond of in-depth journalism that exposes war crimes, corruption, and abuse of power across state organizations in Ukraine and beyond…
Article image
Avatar
Elsa Court

Audience Development Manager

News Feed

"It is legitimate and lawful for China to conduct normal economic, trade and energy cooperation with all countries around the world, including Russia," China's Foreign Ministry said in response to question about Russian oil purchases posed by Bloomberg. "We will continue to adopt reasonable energy security measures in accordance with our national interests."

"The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that "further details will follow."

Video

At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, foreigners flocked to Ukraine to join its defense against Russian forces. More than three years later, the foreign fighters who remain are a different breed — driven by a deep commitment to Ukraine.

Show More