Russian Ship Owner Igor Grechushkin Arrested in Bulgaria for Beirut Explosion Ties

Sofia, Bulgaria - September 16 (AP) - Bulgarian authorities confirmed the arrest of Igor Grechushkin, a Russian ship owner wanted in Lebanon, on charges related to the catastrophic 2020 Beirut port explosion.

Grechushkin, 48, was apprehended at Sofia International Airport on September 6 after arriving from Paphos, Cyprus, according to Zdravko Samuilov, head of the airport’s border police.

Possessing dual Russian-Cypriot citizenship, Grechushkin did not resist arrest and cooperated fully with the authorities, and nothing suspicious was found in his luggage, Samuilov noted.

The arrest was initiated by an Interpol red notice and reported by Lebanese officials on Tuesday. Grechushkin is being detained for up to 40 days, as mandated by a court order, while Bulgaria requests necessary documents for his potential extradition to Lebanon.

Lebanese authorities issued the arrest warrant for Grechushkin and the ship’s captain, Boris Prokoshev, five years ago. The enormous blast on August 4, 2020, resulted in at least 218 deaths, over 6,000 injuries, and widespread destruction in Beirut, causing billions of dollars in damage.

As of now, no Lebanese officials have been convicted in connection to the explosion. (AP)

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