The Montenegrin authorities refused to extradite the former head of Rosalkogolregulirovanie to Russia Igor ChuyanKommersant reports, citing a source in the central office of the Investigative Committee.
According to the publication, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Montenegro had previously granted the request of Chuyan and his lawyers to grant him political asylum (for the same reason, Podgorica did not extradite the ex-owner of the Cherkizovsky market to Moscow Telmana Ismailova. In Russia, he is a defendant in cases of two murders, illegal arms trafficking and organizing the kidnapping of singer Abraham Russo. The entrepreneur pleads not guilty.
In addition, the newspaper recalls, prior to his detention in Montenegro, Chuyan received Ukrainian citizenship. In the fall of 2021, RBC sources and local Radio Jadran reported that the ex-official received a temporary residence permit in the country as a citizen of Ukraine named Igor Levin.
Chuyan’s lawyer declined to comment; the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office did not respond to Kommersant’s request.
Chuyan headed Rosalkogolregulirovanie from 2008 to July 2018. In December 2018, it was announced in international wanted list and arrested in absentia; the ex-official was charged with organizing abuse of power, which entailed grave consequences (part 3 of article 33, part 2 of article 201 of the Criminal Code). The persecution is related to the withdrawal of funds from OFK Bank, which led to its bankruptcy. According to investigators, funds from the bank were withdrawn in favor of one of the largest vodka producers Kristall Lefortovo and its partner, the distribution company Status Group. The damage in the case exceeds 30 billion rubles.
The defense of the ex-official appealed against Chuyan’s arrest in absentia, stating that there were no grounds for such a measure of restraint, but the Moscow City Court did not consider the claims worthy of attention.
In October 2021, Chuyan was detained in Tivat at the request of the Moscow Bureau of Interpol.
