Italy approves extradition to Germany of Ukrainian suspect in North Stream pipeline explosions
An Italian appeals court in Bologna approved sending Serhii Kuznietsov to Germany; his lawyer says they will appeal to Italy’s highest court, alleging procedural irregularities
An Italian appeals court has approved the extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian man accused in the 2022 explosions that damaged the North Stream gas pipelines, Italian media reported Tuesday.
The court in Bologna authorized the transfer of 49-year-old Serhii Kuznietsov, who was detained in August near the Adriatic coastal city of Rimini on a European arrest warrant. Kuznietsov has opposed the extradition and his lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, said they will appeal the decision to Italy’s highest court, the Cassation Court. Canestrini told Italian media that Kuznietsov was denied the right to attend the extradition hearing on Sept. 9 and had not received all documents provided by German authorities.
Kuznietsov was arrested after German authorities issued a European arrest warrant tied to an investigation into the undersea explosions that struck the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines on Sept. 26, 2022. The blasts ruptured sections of the pipelines that carry Russian natural gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany and intensified debate across Europe about energy security and the political fallout from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
German prosecutors have disclosed few details of their probe but said in 2023 they recovered traces of undersea explosives in samples taken from a yacht searched as part of the investigation. Officials in Germany have since pursued criminal inquiries into the cause of the blasts and sought the cooperation of other European authorities in pursuing suspects and evidence.
Canestrini said he had not been able to immediately reach German prosecutors for all the materials related to the case and that the defense would press procedural appeals in Italy’s Cassation Court. He did not immediately return a call seeking additional comment.
The extradition approval by the appeals court in Bologna follows months of investigative steps by German authorities and cooperation with European law enforcement. If the Cassation Court rejects the defense’s appeal, Italian authorities would be expected to hand Kuznietsov over to German custody to face charges there.
The 2022 explosions prompted wide-ranging inquiries by governments and independent investigators into who carried out the attacks and why. The blasts reduced the already diminished flow of Russian gas to Europe and accelerated policy decisions by many countries to reduce dependency on Russian energy supplies. European officials have said the sabotage of critical undersea infrastructure posed significant geopolitical and environmental risks.
Italy’s decision to approve the extradition underscores ongoing cross-border legal cooperation in probes of high-profile incidents tied to the Ukraine war and to Europe’s critical energy networks. Further procedural steps in Italy and potential proceedings in Germany will determine the next phase of the case and whether formal charges will be pursued in German courts.