Russia Still Awaiting Canada's Response Regarding Request to Extradite Ukrainian Nazi 'Henchman'

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Moscow is yet to hear from Ottawa over the extradition of Yaroslav Hunka, a Ukrainian Nazi collaborator who received a standing ovation in the Canadian parliament in September, despite assurances that the matter will be reviewed, Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov told Sputnik.

"The request for the extradition of the Nazi henchman — this is a whole package of documents — has been submitted to the relevant Canadian authorities," Stepanov said. "We were assured that the materials would be reviewed. But there is no response from the Ministry of Justice and other agencies yet."

The Russian Embassy continues to work with the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the matter, the ambassador added.

According to the ambassador, the issue is a matter of principle, and Russia will not let the Canadian government hush up this story.

He pointed out that the Hunka scandal sparked outrage in Canadian society where the memory of the Canadian soldiers who fought against Nazism is honored to this day.

The ambassador did, however, mention the efforts by the Canadian "liberal cabinet" to keep under wraps the colossal embarrassment caused by the Hunka affair.

In September, the 98-year-old Nazi collaborator was invited to attend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's address at the Canadian parliament. Hunka was introduced as a hero who fought against the Russians during World War II and received a standing ovation from the entire Canadian legislature.

The honoring of a Nazi collaborator prompted outcries from Russia, Poland and elsewhere.

In October, Hunka was charged in absentia with genocide of civilians during World War II by the Russian Investigative Committee. He is accused of participating in large-scale executions of at least 500 civilians in the Lvov region of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1943-1944.

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office told Sputnik in December that it had requested that Hunka be extradited to Russia to face criminal charges of genocide against Soviet citizens.