Increased successful extraditions to Ukraine

29 Apr 2025, 33 mins ago

Successful extraditions to Ukraine are on the rise.

Reports have emerged that the Ukrainian authorities are stepping up their efforts to secure the extradition of its nationals from the EU. Recently published figures provided by Ukraine’s Justice Ministry indicate that in 2024, Ukraine successfully extradited 75 individuals from the EU – mostly from Poland and Germany. Other European countries, such as Spain, Italy and Austria, have also recorded a small number of successful extraditions to Ukraine.

Figures for 2025 are currently standing at 26 individuals being extradited to Ukraine in the first two months. Ukraine’s international cooperation goes both ways, as 36 people have reportedly been extradited from Ukraine to other countries in 2025.

Human rights concerns alleviated

The Ukrainian authorities are making progress in facilitating successful extraditions to Ukraine by providing Europeans with assurances that satisfy European human rights requirements. In the past, extradition to Ukraine was likely to be refused because of inadequate prison conditions (Art. 3 ECHR). Poor prison conditions refer to overcrowding, inadequate medical treatment, poor sanitation and hygiene, and the outdated infrastructure of prison facilities, as well as the general conditions of war. There are additional reports of physical abuse and torture, sometimes allegedly condoned by the prison authorities, such as the most recent scandal in the Poltava pre-trial detention centre in April 2025. However, recent media reports indicate that Ukraine is willing to guarantee special treatment for those individuals extradited from Europe. Five prisons have reportedly been refurbished to house extradited individuals – both pending trial and post-conviction. Photo images released by the authorities show newly updated prison cells and facilities, underscoring Ukraine’s commitment to align its detention system with human rights standards. Additional arrangements are made to affirm the country’s war footing by providing shelters and evacuation plans in case of a military attack on a prison.

Right to fair trial

Another ground for refusing extradition to Ukraine is the lack of fair trial (Art. 6 ECHR). This includes the lack of judicial oversight in authorising pre-trial detention, which can be imposed for a significant period, undermining the presumption of innocence. Political interference is increasingly likely in cases involving corruption, high-profile individuals or sensitive topics, such as high treason in war time. Law enforcement agencies in Ukraine are known for overstepping the mark by acting oppressively and in violation of individuals’ rights, and by prolonging criminal proceedings without reasonable justification.

Against this background, the IMF has recently reiterated its conditions for further disbursement of funds to Ukraine, including improvements in the realm of fighting corruption and upholding the rule of law. To secure further funding from the IMF and to deal with those wider issues, Ukraine has pledged to implement reforms. In fact, it has agreed to amend its Code of Criminal Procedure to enable the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (“SAPO”) to manage extradition and mutual legal assistance requests in relation to corruption investigations. Judicial oversight will be introduced to ensure that prosecutors are compelled to decide, in a timely manner, on the extension or closure of criminal proceedings. Ukraine made further pledges to enhance the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (“NABU”) by ensuring that its external audit is completed and published, and that it has access to independent and competent forensic experts. Additionally, Ukraine has finally adopted legislation to establish the Higher Administrative Court, which will be dealing with administrative cases lodged against national state agencies by judges with no links to the notorious Kyiv District Administrative Court, which was shut down for corruption in 2022.

Could INTERPOL be involved?

The figures for those extradited with the cooperation of international police currently stand at more than 150 individuals. These people have been successfully extradited to Ukraine on request of the Prosecutor General’s Office or the Ministry of Justice since 2022.

It is worth noting that such requests may be accompanied by a notice or diffusion submitted by the Ukrainian authorities to INTERPOL’s General Secretariat, with the assistance of the National Central Bureau (“NCB”) in Ukraine.

There are several types of notice that INTERPOL circulates, including the Red Notice for those wanted on criminal charges or conviction, and the Blue Notice for those whose assistance may be required in criminal proceedings if their whereabouts are not clear.

Most recently, the Silver Notice was created as a means of sharing and requesting information on assets linked to someone’s criminal activity. Extradition may be facilitated by the Red Notice to secure the arrest and detention of a wanted individual pending extradition proceedings in the requested state.

How Gherson can help

Those who fear that they may be subject to INTERPOL measures, including a Red, Blue, Orange, Green, Purple, Special (INTERPOL – United Nations Security Council) or Yellow Notice, should take heed.

Gherson Solicitors continue to receive requests for expert advice and assistance from those who fear they may have outstanding financial issues arising. This advice tackles:

How to best approach a possible INTERPOL notice;
Preparing for potential criminal proceedings / an extradition request;
Preparing for a situation where a civil matter or commercial dispute could be used to initiate bogus criminal proceedings; and
Even exploring the possibility of instigating civil litigation proceedings to recover any misappropriated assets.

Gherson have previously written a series of blogs designed to assist those who fear they might be subject to INTERPOL measures (including a Blue and a Red Notice):

Updated: 29.04.2025

Gherson has over 30 years of experience in assisting with all aspects of INTERPOL, Red Notice challenges and extradition. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice; send us an email at enquiries@gherson.co.uk or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.