BRATISLAVA, November 23. /TASS/. A court in the city of Trnava in western Slovakia ruled to extradite to Russia the former head of the Midland Development company, Valentin Vinogradov, who is wanted on fraud charges, a source close the country’s interior ministry told TASS on Friday.

"A district court in Trnava ruled that businessman Valentin Vinogradov can be extradited to Russia," the high-ranking source said. "The verdict says that his case should be heard in Russia."

However, Vinogradov’s defense has immediately filed an appeal against the Trnava court ruling. Therefore, the extradition case will be heard by the country’s supreme judicial authority, the Supreme Court of Slovakia.

Vinogradov was detained in July on the basis of an international arrest warrant issued by Russia. He was taken in custody in the town of Samorin in western Slovakia.

According to earlier reports by Slovakian media, Valentin Vinogradov is accused of real estate scams that took place in 2007-2009. The case against him was launched by shareholders of Midland Resources Holding Limited. The businessman denies all charges and is seeking to avoid extradition to Russia.