Red Card Without Guarantee: Why the Search for Mindich and Zuckerman Through Interpol Does Not Mean Extradition from Israel

The announcement of businessmen Timur Mindich and Alexander Zuckerman being placed on international wanted lists in the “Midas” case is unlikely to lead to their return to Ukraine. The key reasons are the Israeli citizenship of the individuals involved and the peculiarities of local legislation, which significantly limit extradition.

This was stated by former Chief Military Prosecutor of Ukraine (2019–2020) Viktor Chumak on the Apostrophe TV channel. According to him, even initiating the Interpol procedure does not equate to automatic arrest and transfer of suspects to another country.

The issuance of a “red notice” itself is a lengthy and bureaucratic process. Interpol thoroughly checks the evidence and documents, and further steps depend not on the organization but on the laws of the country where the wanted person is located. It is the national courts and authorities that decide on detention, arrest, and possible extradition.

In the Israeli case, the procedure begins with the review of materials by the Ministry of Justice. Then the documents are forwarded to the Jerusalem court, which makes a preliminary decision on the admissibility of extradition. And at this stage, the situation usually becomes complicated.

If the suspect is an Israeli citizen, the chances of extradition are minimal. Israel traditionally does not extradite its own citizens, and this is enshrined in law enforcement practice.

“If Mindich and Zuckerman have Israeli passports and are citizens of Israel, the likelihood of their extradition is extremely low,” Chumak emphasized.

Even in rare cases where the extradition of Israeli citizens is possible, a strict condition applies. In the event of a guilty verdict, they are required to serve their sentence in Israel, not in the country that secured their transfer.

Thus, an international wanted notice primarily means serious restrictions on freedom of movement. Any trip to third countries — for example, to France or Germany — sharply increases the risk of detention and transfer to Ukraine.

At the same time, difficulties also arise in Europe. Chumak pointed out Austria, where extradition requests are often blocked by courts. The grounds are standard: fears of political persecution, the war in Ukraine, and possible risks of detention conditions.

Each state is guided by its own legal tradition, judicial practice, and level of trust in the institutions of the requesting country. Therefore, even the presence of an Interpol decision does not remove political and legal barriers.

Against this backdrop, the “Midas” case remains a significant signal for Ukraine’s internal policy. The investigation of corruption in the energy sector maintains public resonance, regardless of how quickly the real return of suspects can be achieved. This is also reminded by the materials submitted by NABU and SAP to Interpol, as previously reported by “Apostrophe,” as well as analyses published by NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, noting that a “red notice” itself does not guarantee arrest or extradition if the legislation of the country of residence works against it.