(MENAFN) The Canadian government has declined a request from Russia for the extradition of 98-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian Yaroslav Hunka, a former SS veteran who openly admitted to volunteering for the Waffen-SS Galicia Division during World War II. Moscow had submitted an extradition request in December based on charges filed by the Russian Prosecutor-General’s Office. The rejection was justified by Canada's assertion that there is no relevant extradition treaty between the two nations.
Hunka gained attention last year when he received a standing ovation in the Canadian Parliament during Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's visit. Despite his admission to serving in the SS, the Canadian government has chosen not to charge Hunka with war crimes, raising questions about the decision.
Russian Ambassador Oleg Stepanov labeled the lack of an extradition treaty as an "obvious politically motivated excuse" and emphasized that Canada could have pursued charges against Hunka for his SS activities. Stepanov suggested that if Hunka had falsely claimed SS membership on his citizenship application, Canada could, at the very least, consider stripping him of citizenship.
The ambassador highlighted the case as a test of Canada's stance on covering up Nazism, questioning whether Hunka will face consequences for his actions or continue to enjoy a comfortable retirement in a country that prides itself on legal standards. Stepanov asserted Russia's commitment to seeking justice in this matter, signaling an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the two nations over the handling of war crimes committed during World War II.
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