Italy’s highest court, the Cassation Court, has rejected the extradition of a Ukrainian man, Serhii Kuznietsov, to Germany, where he is a key suspect in the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The court’s decision, announced on Wednesday, annulled a previous ruling by a Bologna appeals court that had approved his extradition. The 49-year-old Kuznietsov, who was detained on a European arrest warrant in Rimini, Italy, while on holiday with his family on August 21, 2024, has been sought by German prosecutors to face charges related to the blasts.
The explosions occurred on September 26, 2022, in the Baltic Sea near the Danish island of Bornholm, rupturing the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and damaging the yet-to-be-activated Nord Stream 2 pipeline. German prosecutors allege in the extradition papers that Kuznietsov organized and executed the detonation of at least four bombs, weighing between 14 and 27 kilograms, at a depth of 70–80 meters. Kuznietsov, however, has consistently denied any involvement, claiming he was serving as a captain in the Ukrainian army in Ukraine at the time of the blasts.
Following the Cassation Court’s annulment, his lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, confirmed that the case has been sent back to the Bologna appeals court, which must now reassess the extradition request using a new panel of judges. The court’s motivations for the annulment are expected to be filed in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the international investigation into the sabotage continues, with Polish authorities having arrested another Ukrainian citizen last month on suspicion of involvement in the undersea explosions, with a ruling on his extradition expected soon.
Top Italian Court Blocks Extradition of Ukrainian Nord Stream Suspect to Germany
