ROME, December 20. /TASS/. The Naples’ Court of Appeal has ruled to extradite Alexander Korshunov, a business development director of the Russian United Engine Corporation (UEC), to the United States, Korshunov’s attorney Gian Domenico Caiazza told reporters on Friday.

The court ruled in favor of extradition. Now we have 15 days to appeal this decision with the Court of Cassation," the attorney said.

The extradition ruling can be appealed before a higher court. The final decision will be made by the Italian minister of justice.

Alexander Korshunov, director of business development at the United Engine Corporation, was arrested on August 30 at the Naples Airport on an international warrant issued by the United States. The US authorities accuse him of conspiring and attempting to steal commercial secrets from an American aviation company. Charges are also pressed against Italian citizen Maurizio Paolo Bianchi, who first worked at the Italian branch of General Electric and then in a private company Aeronova that the United Engine Corporation had a contract with on providing consulting services. The Italian was arrested on October 2 in the town of Marino also on the US warrant, the United States Department of Justice reported.

Russian officials have requested Korshunov’s extradition to Russia, where he is charged with fraud. Earlier, the Russian top manager stated that he agrees to be extradited to Russia.