Czech ministry does not expect extradition request for Russian national from US this week
On October 18, Czech police announced that a suspected Russian hacker had been detained at the request of the United States
PRAGUE, October 24. /TASS/. An extraditions request for a Russian national, Yevgeny Nikulin, suspected of cyberattacks on targets in the United States is unlikely to come this week, Czech Justice Ministry Spokesperson Tereza Schejbalova told TASS on Monday.
"I don’t think we will receive a request from the US side for the extradition of the detainee [the Russian national - TASS] this week," she said. "The situation over this matter has not changed [since his arrest - TASS]."
She said the request is to arrive through diplomatic channels. The US embassy has not yet notified the Czech side about the receipt of any documents on Nikulin, who "is kept in custody in Prague," Scheibalova said.
Under the current international norms, the extradition request is to come to the Czech ministry of justice within two months after Nikulin’s detention, i.e. before December 4.
Nikulin is being kept at the Pankrac prison in Prague, a well-informed source in the Czech capital city told TASS on Monday.
"Yevgeny Nikulin is kept at a detention ward of the Pankrac prison," the source said. "More information on his case is expected within days."
Built in late 19th century, the Pankrac prison is located in Prague’s district of the same name and can hold up to 858 inmates.
Nikulin was arrested on October 5.
On October 18, Czech police announced that a suspected Russian hacker had been detained at the request of the United States. A joint operation was conducted with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to apprehend the individual. The United States said he was charged with cyberattacks against U.S. targets. The Czech authorities stated that the suspect had been tracked down via Interpol. On October 19, the Russian embassy in the Czech Republic said it insisted the detained Russian citizen be handed over to Russia. The Russian foreign ministry and the Russian embassy in Prague have been actively cooperating with the Czech authorities in order to prevent his extradition to the United States, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS.