In brief
Italy's Supreme Court has ruled to extradite Serhiy Kuznetsov, a Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream explosions that disrupted gas supplies from Russia to Europe. Kuznetsov, accused of anti-constitutional sabotage, will be escorted to Berlin in the coming days. His defense claims he feels like a 'scapegoat' and they plan to appeal in German courts. The extradition case highlights the delicate relations between Ukraine and Germany, particularly as many Ukrainians perceive the Nord Stream blast as a justified act against Russian aggression.
Italy's top appeals court has ruled that a Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany should be extradited to Berlin. There, former Ukrainian military officer Serhiy Kuznetsov will face a charge of anti-constitutional sabotage. He is due to be removed from Italy under German police escort in the next few days.Prosecutors believe Mr. Kuznetsov coordinated and led a group that planted explosives on the pipes deep beneath the Baltic Sea in 2022, though they have not disclosed any evidence. The case has serious implications for relations between Ukraine and Germany, which is the biggest source of military aid for Kyiv in Europe.Mr. Kuznetsov's lawyer stated that his client 'feels like a scapegoat' and is 'very sad' that his government has not spoken out in his defense, or even confirmed that he was a serving soldier at the time of the blasts. 'If he carried out the attack, then he did so because he was ordered to do so because he was for sure a captain of the Ukrainian army,' Nicola Canestrini said after Wednesday's hearing.The BBC has seen a copy of Mr. Kuznetsov's military ID among the court papers. He has not commented publicly on whether he was involved in the explosions. 'The Ukrainian government knows exactly where he was every day of September 2022,' his lawyer remarked. 'So, if he's innocent, why don't they say it? If he did it, why don't they say it? That's his question.'Mr. Kuznetsov was arrested in northern Italy in late August while at a glamping site near Rimini, where he had booked a stay with his wife and two children. His passport details were checked in and subsequently flagged to the local police, leading to his detention later that evening.A month later, another Ukrainian suspect, Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, was detained in Poland in relation to the Nord Stream blasts. However, a Polish court refused to extradite him, deeming the act a legitimate defense against Russia's aggression.In Italy, there is a contrasting political landscape. Mr. Canestrini expressed his disappointment with the Italian court's ruling, indicating that the fight for Mr. Kuznetsov would now continue in Germany, aiming for his acquittal. Many Ukrainians view the Nord Stream attack as a necessary act against Russia, creating confusion over why Germany is pursuing prosecution of Kuznetsov, seen by some as a defender rather than a criminal.
