A Russian woman suspected by the U.S. of circumventing sanctions has been detained in Georgia
Russian citizen Tatyana Kurashkevich was detained in Georgia at the request of the United States. According to U.S. authorities, she may be involved in violating international sanctions imposed against Russia. Investigators believe that after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the woman organized the supply of aviation components to Russia, circumventing established restrictions.
According to the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the investigative efforts were coordinated directly with the FBI under the existing cooperation agreement between Georgian law enforcement and the U.S. State Department.
The Russian woman was detained at Tbilisi International Airport. According to official data from the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, she was wanted internationally on charges of aiding and abetting criminal activity, participating in a criminal conspiracy, and money laundering.
Currently, Georgian law enforcement agencies are carrying out all procedures required by local law for the subsequent extradition of the detainee to the United States. Beka Nemsitveridze’s attorney confirmed to TV Pirveli that the U.S. investigation is being conducted under several criminal charges directly related to the illegal export of aircraft components.
The detainee was publicly identified in Russia by Yeva Merkachova, a member of the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation. According to her, Kurashkevich is an entrepreneur, an expert in international trade, and a graduate student at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO).
According to documents from the U.S. investigation that came into the possession of the detainee’s family, the total prison term for the four separate counts of sanctions evasion and money laundering under the economic charges brought against her amounts to up to 70 years in prison.
The Russian side has already responded to the incident in Tbilisi, attempting to prevent the extradition of its citizen to U.S. authorities. In particular, representatives of Russian human rights organizations have stated that the potential extradition of Kurashkevich to the United States would allegedly violate current norms of international law.
The arrest operation was carried out by officers from the Central Criminal Police Directorate and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia, according to The Insider.
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