On November 19, the Cassation Court in Rome approved the extradition of suspect Serhii K., a Ukrainian citizen, to Germany to continue the investigation into the Nord Stream sabotage in 2022.
Serhii K. was arrested in Rimini under a European wanted notice and has spent months trying to prevent him from being transferred to Germany. According to German confidentiality law, his identity is recorded in an abbreviation.
Lawyer Nicola Canestrini said the court's decision means Serhii K. will be transferred to German authorities in the next few days. He affirmed that he still believes in the possibility of his client being acquitted after a full trial, even though he admitted that this was a difficult process, not a miracle that happened in a flash.
The explosions in the Baltic Sea have disrupted much of the Russian gas supply route to Europe. The incident was viewed by both Moscow and the West as an act of sabotage, putting great pressure on the region's energy resources. Serhii K., a former Ukrainian military officer, denied involvement in the incident.
German prosecutors accused him of joining a group that planted explosives near the Danish island of Bornholm. Serhii K. faced charges of being an accomplice in causing explosions, sabotage in violation of the constitution and destroying important works.
During his time in a high-security prison in Italy, Serhii K. practiced a free speech to protest detention conditions and not being provided with a suitable diet, according to the lawyer.
Meanwhile, a Polish court had previously rejected a request to extradite another Ukrainian suspect in the Nord Stream explosion and issued an immediate release order.
