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Russia protests extradition of Denis Kaznacheev from Germany to US — MFA

Russia hasn’t received any queries from the US related to the man’s purported crimes, Maria Zakharova said

MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. Russia protests the pending extradition of its citizen Denis Kaznacheev from Germany to the US where he faces charges of money laundering, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a news conference on Thursday.

‘’We strongly object to the pending extradition by the German authorities of Russian national Denis Kaznacheev to the US,’’ she said, following a German court ruling to that effect.

The extradition would mean that Berlin engaged in ‘’serious anti-Russian activity’’ and Russia will take it into account when considering cooperation with Germany on issues that ‘’are of interest to Berlin,’’ Zakharova said.

Russia hasn’t received any queries from the US related to the man’s purported crimes, she said. In prosecuting some Russian nationals, including Viktor Bout, Konstantin Yaroshenko and Denis Kaznacheev, the US pursues political goals, the spokeswoman said.

"We regard this as nothing else but political abductions that aim to demonstrate this American nation’s <...> right of the powerful that it bestowed on itself,’’ Zakharova said.

A German court in November ruled to extradite Kaznacheev, a Russian musician and DJ, to the US where he faces charges of money laundering. It was earlier reported that Kaznacheev is believed by the US law enforcers to be a member of Russia’s cyber mafia and using the Darknet to launder more than $1 million with his accomplices from 2010-2020. He was arrested in Berlin on May 29 as the US sought his extradition.