Ukraine's human rights envoy asks Kazakhstan to block extradition of Ukrainian woman to Russia

Ukraine's Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has appealed to Kazakhstan's Ombudsman, Artur Lastayev, to prevent the extradition of a Ukrainian woman to Russia, according to Ukrinform.

Lubinets said the woman was lured to Astana by Russian special services, along with her grandson's new family, before facing the prospect of being handed over to Russian authorities. His office has not published further details of the circumstances of her travel to Kazakhstan or the legal basis on which Russia is seeking her extradition.

As Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Lubinets' office regularly intervenes in cases involving Ukrainian citizens detained abroad or facing transfer to Russia, particularly amid the ongoing war between the two countries. Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic with close ties to Moscow, has in the past faced requests from both Kyiv and Moscow over the status of citizens crossing its territory.

Ukrinform reported that Lubinets directed his appeal specifically to Lastayev's office, asking Kazakh authorities to intervene before any extradition proceeds. It is not yet clear how Kazakhstan's ombudsman has responded to the request, or what stage the extradition case is at.

The case highlights the broader difficulties faced by Ukrainian citizens who find themselves in third countries with historic or political ties to Russia, where legal protections against transfer to Russian jurisdiction can be uncertain.