Vladimir Romanov to apply for asylum

Romanov asks Moscow authorities for protection.

Former Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov is to apply for political asylum in Russia.

The 66-year-old businessman is wanted by the authorities in Lithuania over a £12.5million embezzlement probe.

On Thursday he gave evidence from a cage in a Moscow courtroom as he attempted to beat deportation, and was freed the following day.

Now according to his lawyer, Romanov plans ask the Russian authorities if he can stay.

Adomas Liutvinskas said: “He was released and no remand measure was imposed. I’ve been told he has asked for political asylum.”

Romanov was released after four nights in detention after it was ruled there were serious flaws in an extradition application from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius

He was driven away from the court in an ambulance after suffering ill health on his arrest.

His Russian lawyer Vladimir Filimonov said the judge also accepted that Romanov “was illegally arrested” by Moscow police and ordered his freedom.

But one source said: “This is not the end of attempts to extradite him back to Lithuania to face a criminal investigation into his financial affairs.”

It is understood the court was told the embattled ex-banker, who lost control of his Ukio Bankas empire, has applied for Russian citizenship.

Romanov was born in Soviet Russia but lived in Lithuania since he was a child.

As a Russian citizen, whether by asylum or other route, he would be protected by a constitutional ban from extradition.

Romanov told the court there was a “political vendetta” against him in Lithuania which was behind the legal moves against him.

Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite voiced concern last week that a release of Romanov showed he was being protected by the Russian judicial authorities after “political pressure” in Moscow.

She said: “If this is confirmed, it just proves once again that international obligations international law are non-existent for Russia.”

If Romanov is seeking asylum from the Kremlin, he would be the most high profile applicant since ex-CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden was last year granted temporary leave to stay by Vladimir Putin’s government.

Romanov took Hearts to the brink of oblivion, and a survival package for the Tynecastle club is still being thrashed out.

Main creditor UBIG have agreed to transfer their 50% of their shareholding to businesswoman Ann Budge’s BIDCO 1874 consortium.

However, Hearts still need Ukio Bankas, who hold a 29 % stake as well as the rights to Tynecastle, to do the same to allow a new regime to take over.