Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream sabotage case to be extradited to Germany within 10 days, official says
A Ukrainian national is expected to be extradited to Germany within 10 days over suspected involvement in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Telegram on Nov. 20.
The pipelines, which link Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea, are currently non-operational.
Late on Nov. 19, Italy's Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling in favor of extraditing the suspect, Serhii Kuznetsov.
"I want to state clearly: this is not the end of the struggle, but a transition to a new stage — now in Germany," Lubinets said. "Serhii is a Ukrainian serviceman, and he is entitled to the protection of international humanitarian law."
He added that his task is to "defend his rights: during the transfer, during his detention in Germany, and during the trial — and to ensure a fair outcome in accordance with international law, specifically the Geneva Convention."
Kuznetsov was arrested in August near the Italian town of Rimini under an European arrest warrant.
In October, Italy's Supreme Court struck down a decision to extradite him to Germany, sending the case back to a new panel of judges.
The case of Kuznetsov and other Ukrainian nationals wanted by Germany has become a diplomatic flashpoint between European states.
Polish authorities detained another Ukrainian citizen, identified as Volodymyr Z., in the Nord Stream sabotage case in September.
The Polish court later rejected his extradition to Germany, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk subsequently saying that the suspect had been released from custody.
