Bulgarian authorities have detained Igor Grechushkin, the Russian owner of a cargo ship linked to the ammonium nitrate at the heart of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, Lebanese judicial officials said.
The arrest comes nearly five years after Lebanese investigators issued Interpol warrants for Grechushkin and the ship’s captain, Boris Prokoshev, also a Russian national. Grechushkin, who holds Cypriot citizenship as well, was taken into custody at Sofia’s Vasil Levski airport after arriving from Cyprus.
Lebanese officials are preparing papers to request his transfer for questioning. If Bulgaria does not comply, investigators may travel to Sofia to interview him.
The explosion on 4 August 2020 killed at least 218 people, injured more than 6,000, and caused billions of dollars in damage across Beirut. No Lebanese officials have yet been convicted over the incident.
Earlier this year, Lebanon elected President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and a Cabinet pledging to complete the port investigation and hold those responsible to account. Investigative judge Tarek Bitar has since summoned senior political, judicial, and security officials as part of renewed efforts to advance the case.
The investigation into Grechushkin’s role is ongoing.
U.S. President Donald Trump is about to unveil the charter of his proposed 'Board of Peace' in Davos, an initiative that has expanded well beyond its ...
A faint hand outline found in an Indonesian cave has been dated to at least 67,800 years ago, making it the oldest known example of rock art and offer...
The stark, frozen beauty of the Arctic has become the unlikely stage for a high-stakes diplomatic standoff that threatens to dismantle the transatlant...
Syria’s government accused the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces of attacks that it said killed 11 soldiers, raising doubts over a four-day cease...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 22nd of January, covering the latest developments you need to ...
A faint hand outline found in an Indonesian cave has been dated to at least 67,800 years ago, making it the oldest known example of rock art and offering new insight into early human migration across Southeast Asia.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 22nd of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2 billion supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and documents from state-run PDVSA showed.
Azerbaijan’s State Oil Fund, State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), has signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement worth up to $1.4 billion with Brookfield Asset Management on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, officials said.
Several locally-developed instant messaging applications were reportedly restored in Iran on Tuesday (20 January), partially easing communications restrictions imposed after recent unrest.
There was a common theme in speeches at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday (20 January). China’s Vice-Premier, He Lifeng, warned that "tariffs and trade wars have no winners," while France's Emmanuel Macron, labelled "endless accumulation of new tariffs" from the U.S. "fundamentally unacceptable."
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would “work something out” with NATO allies on Tuesday, defending his approach to the alliance while renewing his push for U.S. control of Greenland amid rising tensions with Europe.
At the World Economic Forum’s “Defining Eurasia’s Economic Identity” panel on 20 January 2026, leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Serbia discussed how the South Caucasus and wider Eurasian region can strengthen economic ties, peace and geopolitical stability amid shifting global influence.
The European Union has proposed new restrictions on exports of drone and missile-related technology to Iran, while preparing additional sanctions in response to what it described as Tehran’s "brutal suppression" of protesters.
U.S. President Donald Trump is about to unveil the charter of his proposed 'Board of Peace' in Davos, an initiative that has expanded well beyond its original goal of overseeing the Gaza ceasefire.
The stark, frozen beauty of the Arctic has become the unlikely stage for a high-stakes diplomatic standoff that threatens to dismantle the transatlantic security architecture.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 22nd of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the status of Greenland did not arise in his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Trump stepped back from tariff threats and ruled out using force to take control of the territory.
Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2 billion supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and documents from state-run PDVSA showed.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment