Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream sabotage refuses extradition to Germany
Nord Stream (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
49-year-old Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov, who is accused of involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea, stated in a Bologna court that he does not agree to extradition to Germany, Corriere di Bologna reported.
Kuznetsov was detained under a European arrest warrant issued by the Federal Court of Germany, at an agritourism complex in San Clemente (Rimini province) on the night before Thursday. In Italy he is suspected as one of the coordinators of the pipeline explosions in September 2022.
During the court hearing he requested a Ukrainian interpreter and stated that he wants to familiarize himself with the case materials in his native language.
In brief comments Kuznetsov emphasized that during the explosions he was in Ukraine, and that he came to Italy for family reasons.
Before entering the court he showed the trident gesture – a symbol of support for Ukraine and its independence.
The court left Kuznetsov in custody, and the next hearing was scheduled for September 3, when the issue of possible transfer of the suspect to Germany will be considered.
Nord Stream sabotage
The explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines occurred on September 26, 2022 and seriously damaged both pipelines, making them unusable. The investigation was carried out by several countries, but the perpetrators of the sabotage were never identified.
Media reported that a few days before the incident a vessel Andromeda, rented by a Polish company owned by two Ukrainian citizens, was near the pipeline route.
On August 21 it became known about the detention in Italy of a Ukrainian whom German authorities suspect of organizing these explosions.
