Investigation Surrounding a Russian Intel Figure and Possible Interpol Involvement
A recent report from a Telegram channel called Baza claims that a son of a senior official from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service was detained in Moscow’s subway system. The assertion ties the detention to a Swiss business magnate and to Interpol, suggesting that facial recognition footage confirmed the man’s identity. The narrative centers on a 36-year-old named Alexei Korotaev, who allegedly appeared on Interpol’s international wanted list as the events unfolded at a major metro station.
The report by Baza claims that a facial recognition camera at Kutuzovskaya station identified Korotaev in the evening hours of a specific date. It further alleges that an international operation was tracking a businessman based on a Swiss request that centers on allegations of fraud and abuse of trust. According to these accounts, Korotaev was still in custody at that time, awaiting further steps in the process.
Other sources have offered a competing version, suggesting that Korotaev was detained but released after a medical evaluation, as he was not listed as wanted by authorities in Russia. The reports also indicate that his location had been shared with international policing headquarters, and that Switzerland might pursue extradition should the alleged offenses fall within Russian jurisdiction and the legal framework allows such a move.
Korotaev is described in various reports as an investor and financier who may hold dual Russian and Swiss citizenship. This would mark a second high-profile legal incident in his history. In 2017, he faced a prison sentence in the United Arab Emirates over fraud and the signing of an unlawful cheque totaling 18 million euros. He reportedly paid a fine of 2,000 euros within six months and was released. There are mentions of a connection to plans to acquire a football club through a minority stake, which some sources tie to him as part of broader business dealings.
Beyond these individual cases, unconfirmed narratives link Korotaev to a wider scheme tied to international tax practices described as a network operating out of Dubai. The involvement is said to stem from his investment fund and associated entities. One entity named in various discussions is a company registered in Mauritius, which has faced scrutiny for money-laundering allegations linked to figures in energy sectors and other prominent businessmen. These threads have circulated in multiple circles, though formal conclusions remain unsettled.
Russia’s Standing with Interpol During a Turbulent Era
In the wake of military actions in Ukraine, conversations arose about Russia’s membership in Interpol. Several officials from neighboring regions and allied nations discussed the potential for Russia to be removed from Interpol’s roster. Yet, as policies evolved, Interpol stated that the country’s membership would not be suspended, even if the mechanism for handling Moscow’s requests underwent changes. The organization cautioned that expelling Russia could introduce security risks by disrupting the flow of information among member states. Meanwhile, Moscow also faced changes to how it could issue direct requests, often routing inquiries through Interpol’s General Secretariat instead.
As time progressed, the debate about Russia’s status within Interpol resurfaced, with timelines and expectations shifting. The historical context remains clear: Russia joined Interpol in 1990, continuing as the legal successor state after the Soviet dissolution. The formal structure of the national central office for the interior ministry has seen leadership changes over the years, reflecting the evolving relationship between national policing bodies and international law enforcement networks. The narrative around leadership and procedural changes highlights how international cooperation continues to shape law enforcement actions across borders, especially when intriguing cases touch on high-profile business figures and potential cross-border investigations.
Overall, the period has underscored the tension between national sovereignty and the collaborative framework that allows Interpol to operate across jurisdictions. For researchers, journalists, and policy watchers in North America and beyond, the evolving interactions between Interpol, Russia, and foreign authorities illustrate the complexities of extradition laws, international cooperation, and the role of facial recognition and other technologies in modern policing. The discourse also points to the ongoing scrutiny of financial networks connected to influential business figures and how these networks intersect with regulatory and criminal justice systems around the world.