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Ukrainian prosecutors demand extradition of suspect in ex-Russian MP’s murder — lawyer

This is an attempt of Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies to get rid of this case, lawyer Sergey Belyak said

MOSCOW, October 24. /TASS/. A lawyer for Vladimir Tyurin, who is suspected of masterminding the murder of former Russian MP Denis Voronenkov, has confirmed that Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General’s Office has asked Russia to extradite his client to Ukraine.

"Ukraine’s prosecutors, whose efforts, in my opinion, are in vain, ask for the extradition of my client Tyurin from Russia. This is an attempt of Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies to get rid of this case," lawyer Sergey Belyak said.

"I hope Russian prosecutors will reject Ukraine’s request as my client is a Russian citizen and the accusations are apparently far-fetched and politicized," he stressed.

Media reports said earlier that the demand for Tyurin’s extradition was sent on October 9 and Russia has not yet responded. The press service of Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General’s Office has not officially confirmed sending the extradition request to Russia.

On March 23, ex-MP of the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) Voronenkov was killed in Kiev when he was walking out of a hotel together with his bodyguard. The attacker fired several shots at Voronenkov and also injured his bodyguard who managed to fire a return shot. Both the killer and the bodyguard were taken to hospital, the killer later died of wounds.

Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Yuri Lutsenko said earlier this month that Ukraine’s investigators had found all persons behind Voronenkov’s murder.

The murder was carried out by Ukrainian citizen Pavel Parshev, who was fatally wounded at the crime scene, in collusion with other persons. Two of them have been detained and two others are outside the country, according to the investigators.

The killing’s mastermind is Vladimir Tyurin, the former live-in partner of Russian opera singer Maria Maksakova, who fled to Ukraine along with her husband Voronenkov, Lutsenko said.

Ukraine’s top prosecutor did not rule out that the trial of Tyurin could be held in absentia and he could be put on the international wanted list.