The Bologna Court of Appeal has approved the transfer to German authorities of Serhii Kuznietsov, a Ukrainian national accused of taking part in the sabotage of the Nord Stream subsea pipeline. The 49-year-old man is suspected of having played a coordinating role in the explosion of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea, which occurred in September 2022, seven months after the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A contested arrest warrant
Kuznietsov, arrested in August in Rimini and held in a high-security prison, is subject to an arrest warrant issued by Germany, which is prosecuting him for sabotage. The German judiciary has identified a Ukrainian cell composed of six individuals as responsible for the explosions. However, the Italian Court of Cassation had previously overturned an initial extradition decision, ruling it unlawful to requalify the offence as “an act of terrorism” when the arrest warrant specified “sabotage”.
Kuznietsov’s lawyer stated that a new appeal would be filed. He argues that his client, who claims to have been a commander in the Ukrainian army at the time, should benefit from functional immunity due to his military status. According to the defence, the pipeline was a “legitimate military target” given the wartime context.
Judicial precedents in Poland
The lawyer also pointed out that a Polish court had recognised the immunity of another Ukrainian suspect involved in the same case. He maintains that this decision should serve as a precedent and apply to Kuznietsov’s case in Italy. Pending a final decision, the suspect remains in detention.
The September 2022 explosions caused four major leaks in the gas infrastructure linking Russia to Germany. These pipelines played a strategic role in delivering Russian gas to Europe during a period of heightened energy tensions linked to the conflict in Ukraine.
Investigation ongoing in Germany
While judicial inquiries were closed in Sweden and Denmark in 2024 without official charges, Germany’s investigation remains active. Germany accuses a team of five men and one woman of executing the blasts from a yacht rented in Poland. No state involvement has been officially determined so far.
The German federal prosecutor considers the operation as an organised and premeditated action aimed at disrupting energy flows in Europe. The final decision by Italy’s Court of Cassation could affect Germany’s ability to pursue its legal investigations across European jurisdictions.
