French court frees Ukrainian mining boss on $1 million bail
By NICOLAS VAUX-MONTAGNY and JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press
CHAMBERY, France (AP) — A French court has ordered the release from custody of a Ukrainian billionaire and former lawmaker suspected of embezzling on $1 million bail. The court freed Kostiantyn Zhevago on Thursday. Zhevago faces accusations of embezzling $100 million from a Ukrainian bank, which he denies. He called the case against him politically driven and declared he wants to return to Ukraine to fight Russians who invaded his country. Zhevago was arrested in the ski resort of Courchevel in the French Alps last week based on an international warrant issued by Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities submitted 244 pages of documents supporting their request for Zhevago’s extradition, and the court adjourned until Jan. 19 to study the documents.