Bulgarian police have detained a man linked to the catastrophic explosion that ravaged Beirut’s port five years ago, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
Igor Grechushkin, a dual Russian-Cypriot national, was taken into custody at Sofia Airport early on September 5 after arriving from Cyprus. The arrest followed a border control check that triggered an Interpol red notice, according to a spokesperson for Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry, as relayed by local investigative outlet BIRD.
The suspect did not resist arrest and requested legal counsel, the spokesperson said, adding that he cooperated fully after speaking with his lawyer.
News of the detention emerged last week in Lebanese judicial circles, but official confirmation came only now. Grechushkin had been widely identified as the owner of the Moldovan-flagged MV Rhosus, the ship that transported nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate to Lebanon. However, investigative findings later clarified that he merely held a lease on the vessel, which was actually owned by a Cypriot shipping magnate.
The ammonium nitrate, stored under hazardous conditions at the Port of Beirut, detonated on August 4, 2020, unleashing one of history’s largest non-nuclear explosions. The blast claimed at least 218 lives, injured roughly 7,000 people, and devastated entire neighborhoods.
Lebanon’s inquiry into the disaster—long stalled by political turmoil—has recently resumed under a new government. While Beirut had sought Grechushkin’s extradition, Bulgaria reportedly declined due to concerns over the death penalty.
Grechushkin’s attorney in Bulgaria did not respond to requests for comment.