Italy’s highest appeals court has approved the extradition of a Ukrainian man accused of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions. The suspect, former Ukrainian military officer Serhiy Kuznetsov, will be handed over to German authorities within days, escorted by German police.
Kuznetsov is expected to face charges of anti-constitutional sabotage in Berlin. German prosecutors allege that he coordinated and led a team that planted explosives on the Baltic Sea pipelines, though they have not publicly presented evidence.
The extradition comes with significant diplomatic implications, potentially straining relations between Ukraine and Germany, Kyiv’s largest European military supporter.
Kuznetsov’s lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, said his client feels abandoned by his government, which has not confirmed his military status or commented on the case. Court documents reviewed by the BBC include a copy of Kuznetsov’s Ukrainian military ID.
“If he carried out the attack, he would have done so under orders,” the lawyer said. “If he is innocent, why won’t Ukraine say so?”
Kuznetsov was arrested in August at a glamping site near Rimini after police flagged his passport information during check-in. A second Ukrainian, Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, was detained in Poland weeks later, but a Polish court refused his extradition, calling the alleged act a form of legitimate self-defense against Russia’s invasion.
Italy, however, has taken a markedly different stance. While Ukrainian communities view the Nord Stream attackers as heroes who cut off a major revenue stream for Moscow, Germany continues to pursue accountability for the sabotage.
Outside the Rome courthouse, a supporter wrapped in a Ukrainian flag held a sign reading:
“Serhiy Kuznetsov is a defender, not a criminal.”
