Italy’s Supreme Court has approved the extradition of a Ukrainian man to Germany for allegedly sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines.
The suspect, 49-year-old Serhii K., is expected to be transferred in the coming days to Germany, where he will likely face trial in Hamburg.
He is accused of orchestrating the September 2022 attack on the gas pipelines. However, he denies the charges, claiming he was in Ukraine at the time of the sabotage. While in custody, he recently went on a hunger strike for several days.
A court in Bologna initially authorised his extradition in September, but the defence challenged the decision, citing procedural errors. Italy’s Supreme Court annulled the first ruling and sent the case back for reconsideration.
A new court review in Bologna concluded in late October, permitting the extradition. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court upheld this second ruling.
Serhii K. was arrested in August near the coastal city of Rimini while on holiday with his family. Six other suspects remain at large, while Poland has refused to extradite another Ukrainian suspect to Germany.
Nord Stream 1 and 2 are two sets of offshore pipelines that run under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany to provide Western Europe with natural gas.
The Nord Stream pipelines were severely damaged by explosions in late September 2022, resulting in leaks in three of the four pipelines.
Nord Stream 1 had previously transported Russian natural gas to Germany, but flows had been halted by Russia before the incident. Nord Stream 2 was not yet operational due to political disputes following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Both Russia and Ukraine have consistently denied involvement in the sabotage.
