Espreso. Global

Ukraine's wanted ex-SBU general Naumov released from prison in Serbia — BBC

3 January, 2024 Wednesday
13:31

In early December 2023, former Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) General Andriy Naumov, who was sentenced to a year in prison for money laundering in Serbia, was released from prison

client/title.list_title

This was confirmed to the BBC by the High Court of Niš.

Due to the consideration of the appeal against the sentence, Naumov's documents were seized and he was banned from leaving the territory of Serbia, although he was released from prison in early December.

"He is not yet allowed to leave the country or his place of residence until the appeal process is completed," the Serbian court said.

Naumov's lawyers filed a complaint against the decision to ban him from leaving Serbia, arguing that there was a threat to their client's life, but the court did not satisfy it.

In addition, according to Naumov's lawyers, as part of the extradition proceedings, the court found that there was a real threat to his life, and Naumov himself claimed that there were dangers associated with staying in Serbia.

"There are contradictions in the position of the same court, as well as in the actions aimed at isolating Andriy Naumov. Our team is documenting all the violations in this process for further appeal in international instances," the lawyer said.

What is known about Andriy Naumov

Andriy Naumov is a subject of a number of journalistic investigations into smuggling and corruption schemes at customs. In 2019-2021, Naumov was the head of the SBU's Main Department of Internal Security. Prior to that, he headed the state-owned enterprise Center for Organizational, Technical and Information Support of the Exclusion Zone Management.

When Naumov was the head of the SBU's Main Department of Internal Security, he was involved in an investigation by Skhemy journalists into the acquisition of elite property disproportionate to the official income of a civil servant. Skhemy also reported that on the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, on February 23, Andriy Naumov traveled abroad.

In Ukraine, Naumov was notified of suspicion of "misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property by abuse of office, and abuse of power or office (Part 4 of Article 191, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)," as well as fraud and causing damage to the state in the amount of more than UAH 3.2 million. 

Naumov was detained in Serbia on June 7, 2022. After that, Ukraine had sent a request to Serbia for the extradition of Andriy Naumov, who is also suspected of treason and assisting Russian troops in the seizure of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

On September 29, the highest court in the Serbian city of Niš sentenced the former SBU general to one year in prison on charges of money laundering.

In November, Serbia refused to extradite Andriy Naumov to Ukraine following an appeal by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who called him a "traitor."

Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2025, Wednesday
19 February
09:54
Russia’s Syzran oil refinery on fire after drone strike
09:30
Russia loses 1,300 soldiers, 19 tanks, 72 artillery systems in one day of war in Ukraine
2025, Tuesday
18 February
21:30
EU plans to provide Ukraine with €6 billion military aid package amid US-Russia talks
21:15
Exclusive
Massive Russian force gathers near Ukraine's Lyman as attacks intensify
21:01
Exclusive
"Signal to world and primarily Europe": MP Tsymbaliuk on US-Russia negotiations
20:42
Ukraine will not legally recognize Russian-occupied territories, says Zelenskyy
20:26
Turkey is ideal for negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and US, says Erdogan
20:11
Updated
Fox News reports on proposed three-stage peace plan by Russia and US. Lavrov claims he hasn't seen it
19:56
Exclusive
Ukraine prepares for elections, says former SBU officer
19:40
OPINION
How 50% became stumbling block in Ukraine-US relations
19:25
UK Defence Secretary declares world is in "new era of threat"
19:09
How Ukrainian simulators help troops master new weapons
18:50
Exclusive
EU plans to extend sanctions against Russia - Espreso correspondent from Brussels
18:31
US-Ukraine mineral deal terms worse than Germany's post-war reparations – The Telegraph
18:10
Ukraine won't accept Russia's ultimatums: Zelenskyy on US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia
17:52
Zelenskyy, First Lady inaugurate Ukraine's new Embassy building in Ankara
17:30
Europe ready to ramp up defense efforts for Ukraine amid global pressure — Ursula von der Leyen
17:11
Russia says European peacekeepers in Ukraine would be viewed as “escalatory step”
16:54
Exclusive
Trump appears to be outmaneuvering both Beijing and Moscow, says political analyst
16:36
Exclusive
EU aims to compete with U.S. for global influence – Espreso correspondent from Brussels
16:15
Ukraine’s strike on rare Russian S-350 puts pressure on Moscow’s defenses
15:55
Ukraine Russia war live map, February 5-12
Russia's year-long push for Pokrovsk shows no success: military observer explains why
15:27
Exclusive
Europe faces a new reality – Ukrainian MP Knyazhytskyi from Paris
15:12
Lithuania calls for security guarantees before considering troop deployment to Ukraine
15:06
Updated
U.S. and Russia hold over 4-hour talks in Saudi Arabia
14:55
Ukraine allocates over $35 million to maintain Chornobyl shelter
14:31
Russia enhances accuracy of North Korean KN-23 missiles — Ukraine's spy chief
14:22
Reuters streams live from Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv authorities respond
14:16
Exclusive
If U.S. invades Russia, no one will resist — psychologist
13:53
Ukraine recovers 7,017 fallen defenders' bodies since start of Russia’s full-scale invasion
13:31
Exclusive
Ukraine needs two things to prevent Russia’s northeastern advance — Achilles regiment
12:52
China calls for "all parties" in Russia-Ukraine war to join peace talks
12:37
Poroshenko believes Zhevago is under sanctions because his family owns Espreso TV channel
12:17
OPINION
Ukraine buys time for Europe to wake up
11:55
Exclusive
Security guarantees for Ukraine have nothing to do with peacekeeping forces in war zone — expert
11:34
Firefighting ongoing at Chornobyl NPP following Russian drone strike
11:15
Review
Russia escalates attacks on Ukraine amid latest U.S. statements. Serhiy Zgurets’ column
10:52
Exclusive
"Step toward U.S.-Russia dialogue": expert on upcoming meeting in Saudi Arabia
10:34
Russian UAV attack on Ukraine: Mother, two children injured in Kirovohrad region; debris sparks fires in Kyiv
10:27
Ceasefire between Russia, Ukraine would not end martial law — Defense Committee
More news