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.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 3rd of August, covering the latest developments....
A tourist aircraft crashed near Peru's UNESCO-listed Nazca Lines on Saturday (1 August), killing all 13 people on board, authorities said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in Greece on Sunday, killing two crew members as emergency services continued efforts to contain fires fuelled by extreme heat and dry conditions across Europe.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said wildfires that swept across France were now under control. Authorities warned that risks remained as Greece and Spain continued battling active blazes across parts of Europe.
Apple Pay has launched in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, expanding digital payment services across Central Asia and supporting the region's shift towards cashless transactions.
Cuba faced another nationwide blackout after its electricity grid failed, deepening an energy crisis tied to fuel shortages and U.S. sanctions.
The Japanese yen strengthened on Monday after Japan and the United States confirmed a rare coordinated currency intervention to halt the currency's slide following weeks of pressure.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 3rd of August, covering the latest developments.
Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran would begin later in the day, raising hopes of easing tensions in the Middle East, while OPEC+ agreed to increase oil production for a sixth consecutive month, adding to expectations of improved global supply.
At least eight people were killed in overnight Ukrainian drone strikes across Russia, regional officials said, as Kyiv expanded attacks on infrastructure.
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