Moscow sees exterritorial application of US laws to Russian citizens as unacceptable - diplomat

"We reaffirm our position that the exterritorial application of US law to Russian citizens, including their arrests in third countries and their further extradition to the US, where, as the record shows, justice is not guaranteed for them, is unacceptable," Russian Foreign Ministry commissioner on human rights, democracy and the rule of law Konstantin Dolgov said in commenting on the Lithuanian court's ruling to grant the US' extradition request for Russian citizen Dmitry Ustinov.

"An end should be put to this practice, which goes against international law. We will continue to insist on ensuring this," he said. The Vilnius District Court ruled on Monday to grant the Prosecutor General's Office request on extraditing Ustinov to the US for his criminal prosecution in this country.

Ustinov is suspected of exporting equipment listed as weapons used by the US armed forces. Lithuania received a request for legal assistance from the US in June on extraditing the 47-year-old Russian so that he be criminally prosecuted in the US.

The request said Ustinov was suspected of acting as a member of a group of accomplices in smuggling and planning to smuggle long-range night vision devices and video cameras equipped with infrared and thermal sensors used by the U.S. armed forces.

The US also claimed that, having smuggled this equipment, Ustinov legalized the proceeds by transferring thousands of dollars to his accomplices' accounts.

The US brought the charges against Ustinov on March 25. If found guilty, he could face up to 25 years imprisonment in the US.

Russia questions US charges brought against its citizen to have him extradited from Lithuania - diplomat

The Russian authorities have serious doubts about the charges the U.S. has brought against Russian citizen Dmitry Ustinov to secure his extradition from Lithuania.

"Leaving aside the essence of the charges brought against the Russian, about which we have serious doubts (we have not had any information regarding Ustinov from competent US agencies), we would like to note the following," Russian Foreign Ministry commissioner on human rights, democracy and the rule of law Konstantin Dolgov said in commenting on the Lithuanian court's ruling to grant the US' extradition request for Ustinov.

In particular, Moscow is concerned about the US practice of sending extradition requests for Russian citizens to third countries and the exterritorial application of US laws to them, he said.

"We reaffirm our position that the exterritorial application of US law to Russian citizens, including their arrests in third countries and their further extradition to the US, where, as the record shows, justice is not guaranteed for them, is unacceptable," Dolgov said.

The Vilnius District Court ruled on Monday to grant the Prosecutor General's Office request on extraditing Ustinov to the US for his criminal prosecution in this country.

Russia to appeal Lithuania’s decision to extradite Russia’s Dmitry Ustinov to US

Russia hopes that the Lithuanian court will revoke its decision to extradite, a Russian national, to the United States. It accused Washington of ignoring due legal procedures by sendingrequests for Russians to third countries.

Moscow expects that a Lithuanian court ruling on granting a US extradition request for Russian citizen Dmitry Ustinov would be revised.

"We expect its revision and restoration of justice in light of the upcoming appeal of this verdict by Ustinov," Russian Foreign Ministry commissioner on human rights, democracy and the rule of law Konstantin Dolgov said in commenting on a Lithuanian court's ruling to grant the U.S.' extradition request for Ustinov.

Vilnius court decides to extradite Russian Dmitry Ustinov to the US

Vilnius district court has decided to extradite a Russian citizen, Dmitry Ustinov, to the US. He is suspected of smuggling export-restricted military equipment from the US territory, a Voice of Russia correspondent reports.

Ustinov was arrested at Vilnius airport on April 15. The US also claims that he came to Lithuania to allegedly negotiate a sales deal for night vision equipment used by the US military.

A US court issued an arrest warrant for Dmitry Ustinov on March 26. He doesn’t admit his guilt and waive extradition.