All news

No reply for now to note over detention of Russian national in Prague, says embassy

According to Russian embassy spokesman Nikolai Bryakin, formally, police authorities have notified the diplomatic mission that Franchetti was detained based on a request from Ukraine

PRAGUE, September 15./TASS/. The Russian embassy in Prague has not received as of yet a reply to its note sent to the Czech Foreign Ministry with a request to clarify the reasons for the detention of Russian national Alexander Franchetti at Prague’s international airport on Sunday, embassy spokesman Nikolai Bryakin told TASS on Wednesday.

"We have officially requested the Czech Foreign Ministry about the grounds for the detention of a Russian national. We have received no response so far," he said. Formally, police authorities have notified the diplomatic mission that Franchetti was detained based on a request from Ukraine. Media reports also cited this information. The embassy has officially requested the Czech Foreign Ministry to confirm this information.

On Tuesday, the Prague Municipal Court ruled to place Russian citizen Alexander Franchetti in custody over fears that he could abscond from the republic. He is currently in Prague’s Pankrac prison, awaiting the decision of the Czech authorities. The review on his extradition to Ukraine may take about a year while the case is being investigated.

According to media reports, the Russian’s detention could be linked to his active participation in the 2014 events around Crimea’s reunification with Russia.