Italy to extradite Ukrainian Nord Stream sabotage suspect to Germany

Former Ukrainian serviceman Serhii Kuznietsov faces charges successful Germany of collusion to origin an explosion, sabotage and demolition of infrastructure.

Italy’s apical tribunal has approved the extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian antheral suspected of coordinating the sabotage of the Nord Stream state pipelines betwixt Russia and Europe successful 2022.

The suspect, Serhii Kuznietsov, 49, has denied being portion of a compartment of saboteurs accused of placing explosives connected the underwater pipelines successful the Baltic Sea, severing overmuch of Russia’s state transfers to Europe and prompting proviso shortages connected the continent.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 4Solving the Nord Stream mystery
• list 2 of 4Polish tribunal volition not extradite Ukrainian to Germany implicit Nord Stream blasts
• list 3 of 4Ukrainian antheral arrested successful Italy implicit Nord Stream pipeline blasts
• list 4 of 4Ukrainian diver with alleged links to Nord Stream onslaught detained successful Poland

After Italy primitively blocked Kuznietsov’s extradition past period implicit an contented with a German apprehension warrant, Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation approved the transportation connected Wednesday.

Kuznietsov “will truthful beryllium surrendered to Germany wrong the adjacent fewer days”, his lawyer Nicola Canestrini said.

The suspect, a erstwhile serviceman successful the Ukrainian military, has denied immoderate relation successful the attack and has fought attempts to transportation him to Germany since helium was detained connected a European apprehension warrant successful the Italian municipality of Rimini, wherever helium was vacationing with his family, successful August.

“However large the disappointment, I stay assured successful an acquittal aft the afloat proceedings successful Germany,” Canestrini said successful a statement.

Last month, a tribunal successful Poland ruled against handing implicit another Ukrainian suspect wanted by Germany successful transportation with the pipeline explosions and ordered his contiguous merchandise from detention.

Kuznietsov faces charges successful Germany of collusion to origin an explosion, sabotage and demolition of important structures.

German prosecutors said helium utilized forged individuality documents to charter a yacht that departed from the German metropolis of Rostock to transportation retired the onslaught adjacent the Danish land of Bornholm connected September 26, 2022.

According to extradition documents, prosecutors said Kuznietsov organised and carried retired the detonation of astatine slightest 4 bombs containing 14kg to 27kg (31lb to 62lb) of explosives astatine a extent of 70 to 80 metres (230ft to 263ft).

The explosions damaged some the Nord Stream 1 and the Nord Stream 2 pipelines truthful severely that nary state could beryllium transported done them. In total, 4 ruptures were discovered successful the pipelines aft the attack.

Kuznietsov says helium was a subordinate of the Ukrainian equipped forces and successful Ukraine astatine the clip of the incident, a assertion his defence squad has said would springiness him “functional immunity” nether planetary law.

Earlier this month, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sent a missive to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressing interest astir Kuznietsov’s extradition.

Al Jazeera

“The demolition of the pipelines dealt a important stroke to Russia’s warfare instrumentality successful its ongoing warfare of aggression against Ukraine,” the MEPs wrote.

“From the standpoint of planetary law, actions undertaken successful defence against specified aggression, including the neutralisation of the enemy’s subject infrastructure, autumn wrong the lawful behaviour of a conscionable war,” they wrote.

“We, therefore, impulse the Italian authorities to suspend immoderate steps toward extradition until the guarantees of functional immunity and authorities work are thoroughly and independently assessed,” they added.

Kuznietsov, who faces up to 15 years successful situation if recovered blameworthy by a German court, has been held successful a precocious information jailhouse successful Italy since his apprehension and astatine 1 constituent staged a hunger onslaught to protestation against his situation conditions.

Six different suspects successful the lawsuit stay astatine large.