Moscow vows to continue efforts for extradition of Nazi veteran from Canada – Russia
Moscow will continue to advocate for the extradition of Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka, as Ottawa remains unwilling to comply, according to Russia’s ambassador in Canada. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Ottawa is aware of Yaroslav Hunka’s “dark past,” yet still refuses to extradite him, according to Russia’s ambassador, Oleg Stepanov.
Moscow is determined to ensure that Canada hands over 99-year-old SS veteran Yaroslav Hunka so he can answer for his alleged crimes. Hunka, who acknowledged his voluntary service in the Waffen-SS Galicia Division during World War II, gained media attention last September when he received a standing ovation as a guest in the Canadian Parliament during a visit from Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky. Members of Hunka's unit participated in severe anti-guerrilla operations in Poland and Soviet Ukraine from 1943 to 1944, with allegations of involvement in massacres and other violent acts against Polish, Jewish, and Russian civilians.
In late 2023, Russia formally requested the extradition of the then 98-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian, accusing him of genocide tied to his suspected role in the deaths of at least 500 Soviet citizens. However, Ottawa dismissed the request, citing the absence of a relevant extradition treaty between the two nations.
On Thursday, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office announced that they successfully added Hunka’s name to the database of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). The search for the Nazi veteran is ongoing, and the agency stated it would seek his extradition if he is located in other countries.
Ambassador Stepanov criticized the Canadian government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for being “disingenuous” in claiming that Hunka is “clean.” He explained that the prevailing attitude in Canada is that individuals who profess to have escaped Communism and have not committed crimes on Canadian soil are viewed as upstanding citizens. “They turn a blind eye to what they did before they arrived here, as if it never happened,” he added.
Stepping up his scrutiny, Stepanov asserted, “But the truth cannot be hidden… The authorities [in Ottawa] are well aware of [Hunka’s] dark past, and of the shameful biographies of thousands more of [Adolf] Hitler’s collaborators who found refuge in Canada after 1945.”
Moscow's embassy in Canada will continue its efforts to ensure that “the Nazi henchman is sent to Russia,” he insisted.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
Moscow is determined to ensure that Canada hands over 99-year-old SS veteran Yaroslav Hunka so he can answer for his alleged crimes. Hunka, who acknowledged his voluntary service in the Waffen-SS Galicia Division during World War II, gained media attention last September when he received a standing ovation as a guest in the Canadian Parliament during a visit from Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky. Members of Hunka's unit participated in severe anti-guerrilla operations in Poland and Soviet Ukraine from 1943 to 1944, with allegations of involvement in massacres and other violent acts against Polish, Jewish, and Russian civilians.
In late 2023, Russia formally requested the extradition of the then 98-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian, accusing him of genocide tied to his suspected role in the deaths of at least 500 Soviet citizens. However, Ottawa dismissed the request, citing the absence of a relevant extradition treaty between the two nations.
On Thursday, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office announced that they successfully added Hunka’s name to the database of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). The search for the Nazi veteran is ongoing, and the agency stated it would seek his extradition if he is located in other countries.
Ambassador Stepanov criticized the Canadian government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for being “disingenuous” in claiming that Hunka is “clean.” He explained that the prevailing attitude in Canada is that individuals who profess to have escaped Communism and have not committed crimes on Canadian soil are viewed as upstanding citizens. “They turn a blind eye to what they did before they arrived here, as if it never happened,” he added.
Stepping up his scrutiny, Stepanov asserted, “But the truth cannot be hidden… The authorities [in Ottawa] are well aware of [Hunka’s] dark past, and of the shameful biographies of thousands more of [Adolf] Hitler’s collaborators who found refuge in Canada after 1945.”
Moscow's embassy in Canada will continue its efforts to ensure that “the Nazi henchman is sent to Russia,” he insisted.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
