Russia requests oligarch’s extradition

Tension between London and Russia has been cranked up a notch after Russian prosecutors issued an extradition request for Yevgeny Chichvarkin, a Russian oligarch who has been living in London since December.

The founder and former CEO of Russia's largest mobile phone retailer Yevroset, Chichvarkin stands accused of the alleged kidnap and extortion of a former employee who apparently stole a $1 million shipment of Motorola phones from the company in 2003.

The 34-year-old was a flamboyant figure in Moscow, renowned for his mullet hairstyle and an eclectic look that included a pair of red and yellow boots. He is said to have irritated the Kremlin over his tax liabilities. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, his lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov denied the charges against him, saying: "He is extravagant and independent, and some Russian officials don't like that."

If Britain fails to surrender Chichvarkin he will join a growing group of oligarchs exiled in the capital. They include former Kremlin insider Boris Berezovsky, a fierce critic of President Putin, and the Chechen separatist leader Akhmed Zakayev. Britain has repeatedly denied extradition requests for these men, resulting in a tat-for-tat battle that has seen Russia refuse to extradite Andrei Lugovoi – the man accused of poisoning Alexander Litvinenko in London in November 2006 – in return.

Chichvarkin left Moscow on December 22, 2008 reportedly headed for London in order to find a good school for his son. That same day, authorities are said to have delivered a summons for the tycoon, only to be told by his wife that he wasn't there before she promptly boarded a plane to join him in London.

He remained under the radar until last week when he was spotted, flanked by three bodyguards, at a tribute performance to mark the 100th anniversary of the Ballets Russes at London's Royal Opera House.