An Italian court has ruled that an alleged saboteur of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, held since August, could be extradited to Germany, according to his lawyer.
Serhii Kuznietsov plans to appeal the decision.
Previously, Italy’s top court rejected an earlier extradition approval due to issues with the German arrest warrant. Kuznietsov denies any involvement, claiming he was in Ukraine with the armed forces at the time—which his lawyers say could grant him immunity under international law.
If convicted in Germany he faces up to 15 years in prison. The case stems from the September 2022 blasts that damaged the pipelines, months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Investigators have identified a Ukrainian cell as responsible.
Italy’s Supreme Court sent the case back to the Bologna court for review and a hearing is expected within a month.
