According to state media reports, Russia has issued an arrest warrant for Pyotr Vrublevsky, the former Ukrainian ambassador to Kazakhstan, whose contentious comments in 2022 sparked a diplomatic dispute.
TASS news agency reported that Vrublevsky faces charges of “inciting hatred or enmity” and “humiliation of human dignity.”
The allegations stem from an interview Vrublevsky gave in 2022 to Kazakh blogger Dias Kuzairov, during which he expressed views urging Ukrainian soldiers to “kill as many Russians as possible.”
Kazakh authorities promptly protested against Vrublevsky’s remarks, deeming them inconsistent with the role of a foreign ambassador.
Consequently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recalled Vrublevsky from his ambassadorial position two months later.
Following the interview, Moscow demanded an explanation from Kazakhstan as to why Vrublevsky was not expelled. In February, Russia categorized him as a “terrorist and extremist.”
Under a court ruling cited by TASS, Vrublevsky, upon extradition to Russia, would be placed in pre-trial detention for two months. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to six years.
