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Jailed Russian pilot's wife hopes for new appeal to Trump for his transfer to Russia

Russia has repeatedly requested the United States to extradite Yaroshenko
Viktoria Yaroshenko Artiom Geodakyan/TASS
Viktoria Yaroshenko
© Artiom Geodakyan/TASS

ROSTOV-ON-DON, April 18. /TASS/. The wife of Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko serving his 20-year prison term in the US jail hopes for a repeat appeal by Russia’s human rights ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova to US President Donald Trump with a request to transfer him to Russia, Viktoria Yaroshenko told TASS on Wednesday.

As was reported, Russian human rights ombudswoman Moskalkova turned to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia on April 17 with a request to support her appeal to the US authorities to transfer pilot Yaroshenko to serve his prison term in Russia.

In early April, the ombudswoman received a refusal from the US authorities to her appeal to pardon Yaroshenko.

"The last refusal [to pardon Yaroshenko] was such a blow to me! Thanks to Moskalkova that she is struggling and is the sole person who is struggling and is trying to do something," Viktoria Yaroshenko said.

Konstantin Yaroshenko was convicted in the US in September 2011 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The pilot was brought to the United States from Liberia, where he was arrested on May 28, 2010. Agents of the US Drug Enforcement Administration operating under cover allegedly exposed Yaroshenko’s criminal intention to transport a large batch of cocaine.

He pleaded innocent, described his arrest as a set-up and said all charges against him were fabricated.

Russia has repeatedly requested the United States to extradite Yaroshenko.