Serbian court orders former SBU general to prison — report
The High Court of the Serbian city of Nis
has sentenced Andriy
Naumov, the former head of the Main Department of Internal Security of Ukraine’s
SBU security service, to one year in prison on a money laundering charge,
RFE/RL reported on Sept. 29.
Naumov's lawyer, Milan Petrovich, stated that the defense considers the verdict unjust and will appeal it. As per the lawyer's words, they are also awaiting a decision of the Nis Court of Appeals regarding Ukraine's request for Naumov's extradition — a request the High Court previously rejected.
As previously reported by Ukrainian journalists, Naumov was declared suspect on two charges of embezzlement, squandering state property, abusing his position to seize it, causing state losses worth over UAH 3.2 million ($87,000).
Naumov himself stated during the court hearings he fears for his life in case of a return to Ukraine.
In early June 2022, the former general was arrested at the border crossing between Serbia and North Macedonia with undeclared funds, over EUR 600,000 and approximately $125,000 in cash and valuables.
Andriy Naumov began working at the SBU after Ivan Bakanov took over in 2019, where he managed the internal security of the special service. He held his position until July 2021.
Naumov left Ukraine on February 23, 2022, accompanied by several people. In March 2022, a number of his residences were searched by law enforcement investigating a treason case. On March 31, 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stripped Naumov of his brigadier general rank.
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