ROME, August 23. /TASS/. The charges against Ukrainian citizen Sergey Kuznetsov, who was detained in Italy on a German warrant in connection with the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, are considered equivalent to terrorism under Italian law, according to court documents cited by the newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano.
The German authorities have accused Kuznetsov of "anti-constitutional sabotage," a charge that, in Italy, corresponds to Article 280 bis of the Criminal Code - "Terrorist act with the use of explosives" - along with aggravating circumstances outlined in Article 434: "intentional damage to structures and harm." The arrest warrant for Kuznetsov was issued by the German Prosecutor General’s Office on August 18, and he is scheduled to be extradited to Germany for investigation and trial.
His lawyer, Luca Montebelli, indicated that a decision regarding extradition could be made as early as September 3, during the next hearing at the Bologna court. As Montebelli explained to TASS, any ruling can be challenged in higher Italian courts. Negotiations with the Italian Ministry of Justice are ongoing, with their approval necessary for the extradition to proceed.
Earlier, an Italian court ordered that Kuznetsov remain in custody. The defendant denies any involvement in the Nord Stream explosions and has rejected a proposal for voluntary deportation to Germany.
According to reports from German TV channel ARD and newspapers Sueddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit, Kuznetsov may have led the sabotage operation. These sources cite the arrest warrant and suggest that a sabotage group, consisting of seven individuals using the sailing yacht Andromeda, was involved. Il Fatto Quotidiano reports that Kuznetsov possesses a document under the name Sergey Kulinich, issued by Ukrainian authorities, which could imply links to Ukrainian special services. Some reports indicate that Kuznetsov worked for Ukrainian intelligence until 2015.
He was detained on August 21 near Rimini by Italian Carabinieri at a local hotel, where he had arrived with his family following a tip from German law enforcement agencies.
The sabotage, which caused unprecedented destruction to three Nord Stream lines and the uncommissioned Nord Stream 2 on September 26, 2022, has been widely attributed to foreign involvement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that Moscow believes the explosion was carried out with US support. The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has initiated an investigation into the incident as an act of international terrorism.