Russian intelligence agents arrested Vyacheslav Solovyov in a rare extradition operation in a Dubai shopping center on 5 Aug. He is the former chief executive of a state-run leasing company who fled Russia nearly a decade ago. Following his detention, Solovyov was taken to the Russian Embassy in Dubai and flown to Moscow the next day. The oligarch now faces charges of espionage, which carry a prison term of 10 to 20 years, as well as fraud. Russian security agencies had known Solovyov's whereabouts for more than a year. But extradition from the UAE is unusual, as the Gulf nation typically refuses to hand over fugitives wanted in Russia. Months of negotiations took place in the lead-up to the arrest. General Filatov, who oversaw the Dubai operation, heads the SVR's elite Zaslon unit, responsible for protecting top Russian officials during overseas visits and safeguarding key diplomatic missions.