Italy granted authorization for extraditing suspects linked to Nord Stream investigation
In a significant development, a Ukrainian national named Serhiy K., a former agent of the Ukrainian intelligence service SBU, has been extradited to Germany to face charges related to the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines that made headlines worldwide in the fall of 2022.
The 49-year-old Ukrainian, who was spending his holidays with his wife and two young children in a small town in the hinterland of the popular Adriatic seaside resort of Rimini, was arrested at the end of last month.
According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, Serhiy K. is accused of coordinating a group that placed explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines near the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm in September 2022. The explosions severely damaged the two pipelines, making it impossible to transport gas through them.
However, Serhiy K. maintains his innocence, claiming to have been in Ukraine at the time of the attacks. The court in Bologna has given the green light for his extradition, but his Italian lawyer has filed an appeal and plans to take the case to Italy's highest court.
The government in Kyiv denies involvement in the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Meanwhile, Germany and Italy are working closely together in justice, with the trial expected to take place in Hamburg.
Italian lawyer Canestrini has emphasized the importance of fundamental rights such as the right to a fair trial and proper detention conditions for Serhiy K. The lawyer has also announced that he will take the case to Italy's highest court, but the likelihood of the Supreme Court in Rome stopping the extradition is considered very low.
Serhiy K. did not expect an international arrest warrant to be executed, especially during his holiday with his family. This incident underscores the seriousness of the allegations against him and the ongoing international cooperation in investigating and prosecuting such cases.
It should be noted that Ukraine has been defending itself against an invasion from Russia for more than three and a half years. Leaks were found on three of the four lines, but no gas had been flowing through the pipelines before the attacks. No other arrests have been made so far in connection with the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
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