Ukrainian tycoon denies embezzlement in French hearing

By NICOLAS VAUX-MONTAGNY and JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

CHAMBERY, France (AP) — A Ukrainian billionaire and former lawmaker suspected of embezzling more than $100 million appeared in a French court Thursday. Kostiantyn Zhevago called the case against him politically driven and declared he wants to return to Ukraine to fight Russians who invaded his country. Zhevago was arrested in the ski resort of Courchevel in the French Alps last week based on an international warrant issued by Ukraine. He called it “a political thing” and said he had nothing to do with what Ukrainian authorities accuse him of. Ukrainian authorities submitted 244 pages of documents supporting their request for Zhevago’s extradition, and the court adjourned until Jan. 19 to study the documents.