Thu Nov 20 06:30:00 UTC 2025: Headline: Italian Court Approves Extradition of Ukrainian Man Suspected in Nord Stream Sabotage
Rome, Italy – Serhii Kuznietsov, a former Ukrainian military officer, is set to be extradited to Germany after Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation upheld a ruling to transfer him. Kuznietsov is accused of playing a key role in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which significantly disrupted Russian gas supplies to Europe.
German prosecutors allege that Kuznietsov used falsified documents to charter a yacht from Rostock, Germany, and coordinated the placement and detonation of explosives on the underwater pipelines near Bornholm, Denmark. The explosions resulted in four ruptures across Nord Stream 1 and 2, rendering them unusable.
Kuznietsov denies any involvement and claims he was in Ukraine at the time of the incident. His legal team argues he should be granted “functional immunity” under international law, as his actions, if true, would have been in defense against Russian aggression.
The extradition has sparked controversy, with some members of the European Parliament urging the Italian government to suspend the process until the issue of functional immunity is thoroughly assessed. They argue that actions taken to neutralize Russia’s military infrastructure in the context of the war in Ukraine could be considered lawful under international law.
Kuznietsov’s lawyer expressed disappointment but remains confident of an acquittal in Germany. He faces charges of collusion to cause an explosion, sabotage, and destruction of infrastructure, potentially carrying a sentence of up to 15 years in prison. He will be handed over to German authorities in the coming days. Six other suspects remain at large.
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