Russians issue arrest warrant for Cypriot lawyer

 Cypriot lawyer Christodoulides Vassiliades is on Russia’s wanted list after an arrest warrant was issued against him, however Russian authorities have not issued an extradition request against him in Cyprus yet, it emerged on Monday.

Sources from the justice ministry and legal service told the Cyprus Mail no formal request from Russian authorities has been filed to Cyprus over Vassiliades’ arrest warrant, which was filed in absentia in a Russian court.

Interpol has also not been in touch with Cypriot authorities over the matter, a justice ministry source explained.

“This is how the situation stands now,” however things could still change, the source added.

The developments come after the Basmanny court in Moscow issued an arrest warrant for Vassiliades in absentia, who has been in the headlines this year after he was sanctioned by both the US and UK for allegedly operating as a financial fixer for sanctioned Russian oligarchs.

According to a news report filed by Tass news agency on Thursday, Vassiliades is accused of being involved in a “large scale” money laundering operation by an organised group in Russia.

The investigation by Russian authorities has been ongoing since May 2016.

It has also issued an arrest warrant for the founder of investment company Fintailor Investments Limited, Kirill Lyushinsky and a St Peterburg businessman Oleg Mikhalev.

Fintailor Investments is a Limassol-registered company.

The suspects are accused of money laundering and large-scale embezzlement.