Moscow has demanded that the United States extradite Leonid Nevzlin, a key executive of Russia's embattled oil firm Yukos.
The Russian Embassy in Washington submitted the extradition request on Tuesday to the U.S. Department of State and accused Mr. Nevzlin of ordering a series of killings. The State Department has not yet responded.
Mr. Nevzlin, who has been living in exile in Israel, visited Washington this week to address the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The address covered how the controversial Yukos case was affecting politics and investments in Russia.
The former chief of Yukos, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, was recently sentenced to nine years in prison on tax evasion and fraud charges. Critics have argued that the case was retaliation for the businessman's support of the political opposition. Kremlin officials insisted that they are cracking down on corporate crime.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters.
