Investigation into the Nord Stream Sabotage: Italian Court Approves Extradition of Ukrainian Suspect to Germany
As part of the investigation into the large-scale energy sabotage that resulted in the destruction of over three lines of the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea in autumn 2022, an Italian court has taken a significant step.
This includes approving the extradition of the Ukrainian suspect, Sergiy Kuznetsov, to Germany, where investigators accuse him of leading a team of divers allegedly responsible for this act of sabotage.
Following the initial decision in Bologna in September, which authorized his extradition, Kuznetsov’s lawyer filed an appeal with Italy’s Supreme Court, leading to a temporary halt of the process.
Now, based on the new ruling, the case has been returned to the local court for reconsideration.
Meanwhile, Germany has voiced cautious interest and is awaiting a final verdict.
Recall that the former Ukrainian officer, Sergiy Kuznetsov, was detained under an international arrest warrant issued by German authorities and has become a central figure in an investigation ongoing for over a year.
He is charged with involvement in planning and directing the sabotage operation that caused the significant damage to the pipeline.
According to German law enforcement, several other individuals involved are wanted.
Experts and officials are eager to uncover the full picture of the events to prevent similar attacks in the future.