The court in Serbia declined to hand over former SBU General Naumov to Ukraine

Serbia’s decision not to extradite Andrey Naumov to Ukraine was influenced by President Zelensky’s statement referring to him as a “traitor.” Zelensky emphasized that all “traitors and anti-heroes” would face consequences, indicating an unwelcome stance toward those he considered accidental generals.

It has emerged that there are still no formal accusations of treason against Naumov, as per information from the State Bureau of Investigations in July 2023. Some investigative sources, speaking anonymously, deemed the identification of Naumov as the ‘Hunter’ to be rushed and inconclusive. After Naumov’s arrest in Serbia, two separate legal processes ensued: the extradition case and a money laundering investigation. The local court in Serbia ultimately declined to extradite Naumov on October 5.

In the extradition proceedings, Naumov consistently denounced the allegations against him in Ukraine as baseless and driven by political motives, expressing fears for his safety if returned. The court’s decision highlighted Serbia’s refusal to extradite Naumov due to Ukraine’s inquiry into potential treason, which was seen as a form of “political persecution.” The ruling also referenced past assassination attempts on Naumov and Zelensky’s remarks.