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Lebanon has formally requested the extradition of Russian citizen Igor Grechushkin from Bulgaria, in connection with the catastrophic 2020 Beirut port explosion. The request was signed by Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar.
Grechushkin was detained in Bulgaria following his alleged involvement with the Rhosus ship, which transported and unloaded the ammonium nitrate that later caused the deadly explosion in Beirut in 2014.
Preparations for the extradition were initiated last week by the Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Cassation, after receiving a notification of Grechushkin’s arrest through Interpol. Lebanese officials have been actively coordinating with the Bulgarian authorities on the matter.
On September 18, Minister Nassar met with the Bulgarian ambassador to Lebanon to expedite the proceedings. The meeting, held in the presence of the Deputy Prosecutor General, aimed to fast-track the case, with the ambassador describing the issue as a “priority.”
While Lebanese authorities identify Grechushkin as the alleged owner of the ship involved in the shipment of ammonium nitrate, local journalistic investigations suggest he was primarily the ship’s charterer. Reports indicate that the vessel’s actual owner is Cypriot national Charalambos Manolis.
The case continues to draw international attention as Lebanon seeks accountability for one of the country’s most devastating disasters.
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