A BRITISH toddler missing from Spain remains the subject of a huge police search amid fears he has been kidnapped by his Russian mother.
Oliver Pugh, three, was reported missing in Marbella, on the Costa del Sol, and cops confirmed they are treating it as parental abduction.
SolarpixOliver Pugh was reported missing by his father in Marbella, Spain[/caption]
SolarpixSpanish cops believe he has been abducted by his mother and taken to her native Russia[/caption]
GettySpanish police have launched a major police investigation to find the boy[/caption]
Three key questions remain unanswered in the case.
The first concerns Oliver’s whereabouts, and whether there is any hope of him coming home if he is located.
Spanish detectives have said they believe Oliver’s mum has bundled him over into Putin’s Russia.
It’s been confirmed that she is a Russian national, and cops suspect she has bolted to her home country with the boy in tow.
Even if Oliver and his mum are located in Russia, there’s a good chance that both British and Spanish authorities will be powerless to order she returns with him.
In order to do so, a judge would have to officially declare her a fugitive and request an extradition – the process by which wanted people are recalled.
It’s not clear whether this has happened in Spain.
However, even if this has happened or does in the future, it’s unlikely Russia would honour the request.
This is because Russia does not have extradition treaties with either Spain or the UK.
Over the years, extradition between Russia and Western countries has become extremely difficult due to the hostile political environment.
It is often considered a one-way street, as Western extradition requests are often rejected because of Moscow’s differences with these nations.
And it will continue to be the case unless there is a major diplomatic breakthrough, which is unlikely.
The second puzzle is the considerable period of time between Oliver going missing on July 4 and the alarm being raised.
It’s believed that July 4 is the last time Oliver’s dad had news of his son.
Spain’s National Missing Persons Centre confirmed that July 4 was the date the boy went missing.
SolarpixA missing persons poster from Spain[/caption]
GettyIt is unclear whether Oliver’s dad remains in Marbella, where his disappearance was reported[/caption]
But, according to one local report yesterday, the dad only went to the police on August 7 – 34 days later.
Spanish police have said they believe Oliver’s mum took him to Russia at some point since his dad last saw him.
It’s not known whether that trip was made on July 4 or at a later date.
It is also unclear whether there was a delay between the pair travelling to Russia and the dad finding out about it.
Oliver’s parents are separated, according to a well-placed source, so it’s possible that the dad would not have known the whereabouts of his son and ex-wife on a daily basis.
Finally, the location of Oliver’s dad is uknown.
He lodged the report that someone was missing in Marbella – but that was reportedly more than three weeks ago.
A Spanish police spokesperson confirmed that the father is British.
It is not known, however, whether he has remained in Marbella as the police investigation has got underway.
It is also unclear whether either of the couple lived in Marbella or were there on holiday.
Spain’s Interior Ministry published a picture of Oliver, saying he was last seen in Marbella on July 4.
It described the youngster in an appeal as having blonde hair, being 2.7ft tall and weighing 33lbs.
Russian extradition to the West
RUSSIAN extradition laws prohibit the extradition of Russian citizens, as mandated by Article 61 of the Constitution.
This creates significant barriers for Western countries seeking extradition.
Extradition is only possible through international agreements or federal laws, but Russia does not extradite individuals for political crimes or non-criminal acts under its law.
Treaties like the European Convention on Extradition are limited by constitutional restrictions.
Russia and Western countries often lack extradition treaties, such as with the US and the UK.
Concerns over human rights and fair trials further complicate extradition efforts.
Western nations frequently reject Russian extradition requests, citing political motives and poor detention conditions.
This has led to strained relations and reduced cooperation in legal matters.
Extradition remains largely one-sided, with Russia rarely extraditing individuals to the West.
Meanwhile, Western countries are increasingly resistant to extraditing individuals to Russia.
A police spokesman confirmed that the youngster and his father were British and that the mother is Russian.
He said: “We are treating this as a parental abduction.
“We believe the mother has left Spain and has taken the boy to her homeland which is Russia.”
A well-placed source said: “The mum and dad are separated and there was a court order preventing the mother from taking this boy out of Spain.
“They are all based here on the Costa del Sol.”
An FCDO spokesperson told The Sun: “We are supporting the family of a British child who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”