A Russian man linked to the cargo ship involved in the deadly 2020 Beirut port explosion has been arrested in Bulgaria, Lebanese officials confirmed on Monday. Igor Grechushkin, the ship’s owner, was detained last week at Sofia’s airport after arriving from Cyprus. Grechushkin, who also holds Cypriot citizenship, is wanted by Lebanon, where investigative authorities issued arrest warrants for him and the ship’s captain nearly five years ago.
The massive blast on August 4, 2020, caused by a stockpile of ammonium nitrate at Beirut’s port, killed more than 200 people, injured thousands, and damaged much of the city. Despite the scale of the disaster, no Lebanese officials have been held accountable so far.
Lebanese judicial officials are preparing paperwork to request Grechushkin’s transfer to Lebanon for questioning. They also say if Bulgaria refuses to hand him over, investigators may travel there to speak to him. The ship’s captain, Boris Prokoshev, is also a Russian citizen wanted in connection with the case.
Earlier this year, Lebanon’s new government promised to complete the investigation and bring those responsible to justice. Investigative judge Tarek Bitar has recently taken steps by summoning top political and security figures to push the case forward.
The arrest of Grechushkin is a significant development in this long-running investigation. It adds a new chapter to efforts aimed at uncovering the full story behind one of the most devastating non-nuclear explosions in history. Authorities in Bulgaria have not yet commented on the arrest.