This, according to TASS, is stated in the comments of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova.
“We are outraged by the unfriendly actions of the Greek authorities, who, under pressure from the United States, which launched a real hunt for Russian citizens in third countries under far-fetched pretexts, extradited our compatriot Alexander Vinnik to be punished by American punitive justice,” the diplomat noted.
On August 4, Vinnik's French lawyer Frederic Belo announced that a Russian citizen had been sent from France to Greece.
Belo said the US had withdrawn its extradition request.
According to the lawyer, the French prosecutor's office resumed the process on this request on July 1 in order to prevent the release of the Russian in accordance with the decision of the judge for the execution of sentences on June 29.
Belo noted that in this way the United States managed to leave Vinnik in custody, after which they would be able to return him to Greece, from where the Russian could be quickly sent to the United States.
Alexander Vinnik was arrested in Greece in the summer of 2017 at the request of the United States.
The American authorities accused him of money laundering through a cryptocurrency exchange.
In January 2020, the Russian was extradited to France on 19 charges, but the court acquitted him of all charges brought by France and sentenced him to five years on one American charge.
The United States and Russia also filed requests for the extradition of Vinnik.