Arrest of Sokpa in the Occupied Territories: 43-year-old Russian Suspect in Zambuni Murder
43-year-old Russian Alexei Sokpa, whom Greek authorities were seeking in connection with the murder of Vangelis Zambuni, was arrested in the occupied territories on 24 August 2026.
Arrest in Agios Ambrosios – the secret passage raising fresh questions
The 43-year-old Russian Alexei Sokpa, whom Greek authorities were seeking for the murder of Vangelis Zambuni, was located and arrested in the occupied Agios Ambrosios of Kyrenia on 24 August 2026, according to reports by newsbeast.gr.
The arrest was made following information that reached the Turkish Cypriot "police". During the check, it was established that Sokpa's residence permit had expired on 31 July 2025, with him remaining unlawfully in the occupied territories for a total of 389 days.
Against him, offences of unlawful residence, unlawful crossing and violation of a military restricted area are being examined in the first instance. The "court" in the occupied territories ordered his detention for three days so that investigations could continue and it could be determined whether he is connected to other offences.
The mystery of movement through free areas
The central question emerging from the case concerns the movements of the wanted man before his arrest. According to what was presented before the "court", Sokpa allegedly stated during interrogation that he had entered secretly into a military restricted area in the zone of responsibility of the airport in the occupied Tymbou, passed from there into the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus, and subsequently, in July 2026, returned to the occupied territories via roughly the same route.
To date, it has not been publicly clarified how long he remained in the free areas, which locations he moved through, whether he met with other individuals, and what the purpose of his presence there was. These particular questions acquire particular significance given that Sokpa was sought in connection with one of the bloodiest executions recorded in recent years in the sphere of organised crime in Greece.
The Zambuni murder – details of the attack
Vangelis Zambuni was murdered shortly before 2 a.m. on 14 January 2024 outside a petrol station at the junction of Frantzi and Ilias Iliou streets in Neos Kosmos. Unidentified individuals approached him in a jeep and unleashed a hail of gunfire.
The violence of the attack was captured in the findings collected by police at the scene: 97 cartridge cases from a Kalashnikov and a 9-millimetre pistol. Video footage from security cameras recorded the deadly ambush and became an important piece of evidence for the investigation. The attackers' vehicle was later found burnt on Athens Avenue in Chaidari.
Sokpa's arrest in the occupied territories represents a significant development in the investigation, however the process of his extradition remains complicated owing to the particular status of the area where he was found.
Source: Google News GR — Crime (el)