The case of Serhii Cherkasov, who is considered a military intelligence officer of the Russian Federation, is becoming more and more interesting. After an unsuccessful attempt to train Serhii at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Brazil refuses to extradite the spy to the USA.
How did the events develop?
The case began last year. The attempt to send the agent to such a serious international organization highlights the extent to which the Russian Federation is attempting to influence the situation.
The chronology of events is as follows:
1. In June 2022, Cherkasov was arrested in the Netherlands by Dutch intelligence services. He was then handed over to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security of Brazil.
2. An employee of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) was accused of forging citizenship documents and operating under a false identity as Brazilian citizen Victor Muller Ferreira. As a result, Brazil conducted the investigation.
3. Cherkasov was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
4. The USA submitted a request to the Brazilian Ministry of Justice with a request to extradite Cherkasov to stand trial for espionage on behalf of Russia. However, the request was denied based on legal grounds.
Russia acts in advance
Since the leak of information after the investigation of the espionage case can be really destructive for the entire Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, the Russians made the next move. They opened a case of drug trafficking against the convicted person.
This gives the right to demand the extradition of Serhii Cherkasov to Russia, which was done. Initially, Brazil refused because the suspect cannot be handed over before the investigation is over and the verdict is announced.
Return or liquidate
Later, after the USA submitted a request concerning the Russian to investigate the espionage case, the Department of International Legal Cooperation refused, citing that the decision to extradite him to Russia had already been approved by the Supreme Court. In this way, the Russian Federation managed to prevent the leakage of data about the espionage activities of Serhii Cherkasov in the world.
Specialists believe that the case of drug trafficking is baseless and fabricated in order to have grounds for the extradition of a dangerous element to the country. If this failed, then an alternative option could be the physical liquidation of the Russian agent.
