The Russian Federation is trying to spread the front of hybrid aggression against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the international arena. Persecution of Ukrainians by Russian special services and security forces is being observed, among others, in European countries.
This time, it’s about a Ukrainian theater director, Yevhen Lavrenchuk, who was detained in Italy’s Naples on December 17, 2021, at Russia’s request. The Kremlin demands that the artist be extradited to Russia.
According to the Babel outlet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine assures that the has been provided with all necessary consular assistance.
“The court of the city of Naples ruled to hold the Ukrainian in custody pending extradition consideration. With the assistance of the Consulate General, the man was provided with a defense attorney,” the publication quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko as saying.
It is also known that the consuls and lawyer are working with Italian law enforcement to find out all the circumstances behind the director’s detention.
Marianna Hudich-Paliy, curator of the Free Yevhen Lavrenchuk initiative group, said that the Russian side accused Lavrenchuk of “a criminal offense he had allegedly committed eight years ago” but the exact reason for his detention remains unclear.
The activist stressed that Yevhen Lavrenchuk’s family had given permission for making public the case which they believe has been fabricated and constituting political persecution.
Babel reminds that Yevhen Lavrenchuk is a Ukrainian theater director, a nominee for the Shevchenko Prize, a former chief director of the Odesa Opera and Ballet Theater and rector of the First Ukrainian School of Theater and Cinema.
