Lukashenko Helped Ukrainian Oligarch Firtash Avoid Extradition To The United States
- 13.03.2026, 18:44
The businessman has the status of a Belarusian diplomat.
Ukrainian businessman Dmitry Firtash has finally avoided extradition from Austria to the United States. The trial, which began back in 2014, ended after Austrian courts recognized his diplomatic immunity as a representative of Belarus, the Die Presse reported.
In 2024, Vienna's Higher Land Court refused to extradite Firtash, pointing out that he had immunity from criminal prosecution. Since 2021, the businessman is listed as an adviser to the Permanent Mission of Belarus to international organizations in Vienna. At the same time, a note was sent to the headquarters of UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) on his delegation as a representative to this UN structure.
The Prosecutor's Office in Vienna tried to challenge this decision. The judge initially gave the office four weeks to file an appeal instead of the statutory two weeks. However, the Austrian Supreme Court later ruled that the extension was illegal. As a result, the prosecutor's office missed the deadline for filing an appeal in November 2024.
The court's decision finally entered into force in December 2025. At the same time, the Austrian Foreign Ministry and UNIDO denied Firtash official accreditation. Nevertheless, the court considered that the diplomatic notes sent by the Belarusian embassy in 2021 with the notification of Firtash's appointment as a counselor, in themselves granted him diplomatic immunity. In the decision, the judge referred to the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution, emphasizing that the court was not obliged to adhere to the position of the executive branch.
The prosecutor's office also tried to get the time limit for filing an appeal restored, but the Vienna Higher Land Court rejected the request on March 6.
Firtash was detained in Austria in 2014 at the request of the United States, but was soon released on bail. He has since contested extradition attempts. U.S. authorities accuse the businessman of paying bribes in India to obtain a license to develop deposits of titanium raw materials.