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Prague court to hear case of Russian national suspected of cyberattacks on US targets

"The court session will be held right at Prague’s Pankrac prison due to security precautions," Marketa Puci, a spokeswoman for the Prague Municipal Court, told TASS

PRAGUE, May 11. /TASS/. A Prague court on Thursday will hear the case of Yevgeny Nikulin, a Russian national suspected of cyberattacks on targets in the United States.

"The court session will be held right at Prague’s Pankrac prison due to security precautions," Marketa Puci, a spokeswoman for the Prague Municipal Court, told TASS.

The court session will begin at 11:30 Moscow time. Nikulin, who is being kept at the Pankrac prison, has been notified about the court hearings, Puci said.

"It is not ruled out that a decision on Nikulin’s possible extradition either to the United States or to Russia could be taken at this session. But I cannot say it for sure. It will depend on the situation," she said.

Nikulin was arrested in Prague on October 5 at the request of the United States. A joint operation was conducted with the U.S. 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.

Both Russia and the United States demand Nikulin’s extradition. In Russia, he is charged with a cyber theft of 3,450 U.S. dollars in 2009.

The final decision on possible extradition of Nikulin is up to Czech Justice Minister Robert Pelikan.

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