A court in the Czech Republic acquitted and released Alexander Franchetti, a participant in the annexation of Crimea. He was arrested in 2021 at the Prague airport at the request of Ukraine. The decision of the Czech court has not yet entered into force and can be appealed, Interfax writes . The rationale for such a decision is still unknown, it is only reported that the charges were dropped, "due to lack of evidence in the alleged crime." The court also refused extradition to Ukraine.
Franchetti, a pro-Russian activist, a member of the so-called self-defense of Crimea, arrived on the peninsula in February 2014, before the annexation. There he created the reconnaissance group "Northern Wind", which consisted of 12 people and was engaged in the protection of power lines and gas pipelines, as well as the identification of certain "extremist groups". According to Franchetti, the group "collaborated with the Russian Navy."
As previously reported by the Czech media, Franchetti has a residence permit (residence permit) in Prague and works as a fitness trainer. Sources note that the activist has been permanently living in the Czech Republic since 2000.