All news

Russian jailed in Thailand ready to be transferred to Moscow for trial

Dmitry Ukrainsky, who was detained in Thailand at the US' request, says he is ready to appear in a Russian court

BANGKOK, August 16. /TASS/. Dmitry Ukrainsky, a Russian national detained in Thailand at the request of the United States, is ready to appear in a Russian court, if he is extradited to Moscow by the local authorities.

"If the Russian law enforcement agencies have any questions to ask me, I am prepared to answer them and count on justice," Ukrainsky told a TASS correspondent who visited him in a pre-trial detention center. "What has been going on here is a far cry from justice."

"By law, the Thai side should have gotten all extradition documents within two months of the arrest and resolved the case. So far, I have no information that the documents have been received," the Russian said, adding that he lived and worked in Thailand legally, holding a valid visa and work permits. Previously, he had worked as a middleman in several real estate deals.

According to Mr. Ukrainsky, in April he received a wire transfer of $476,000 to his bank account after sealing a real estate transaction. This money was later handed over to his American partner whose whereabouts remain unknown to him. Shortly afterwards, practically all his accounts were blocked by Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office.

"All my bank accounts that exceed 8,000 Thai Baht (over $220) continue to be frozen," Ukrainsky asserted. "In all, about ten accounts have been blocked. The explanation that the money was received, for example, from selling a car, is not taken into account."

He also said that while he was being detained, the police seized all computer equipment and documents from his apartment, including those verifying his participation in the real estate deals. "The documents were seized without witnesses. I will not be surprised if some strange files ‘show up’ in my computer," Ukrainsky quipped.

On July 15, Dmitry Ukrainsky was detained near his home in Pattaya, Thailand and immediately incarcerated in a detention facility by immigration police in Bangkok. The warrant for his arrest was issued by a Thai court based on charges of money laundering in the United States. After Ukrainsky’s whereabouts were established, on August 1, Russian Deputy Prosecutor General Viktor Grin signed a request to the Office of the Attorney General of Thailand for his transfer to the Russian side.