A Ukrainian man accused of helping coordinate the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blasts will be transferred to Germany on Thursday after Italy’s highest court backed an extradition request, according to a spokesperson for Germany’s federal prosecutors.
The extradition marks a major step in Germany’s long-running investigation into the explosions that ripped through the Baltic Sea pipelines nearly three years ago. The blasts severely damaged Nord Stream 1 and part of Nord Stream 2, cutting most of the remaining gas transit from Russia to Europe at a time when the continent was already facing an energy squeeze.
German authorities have identified the suspect as Serhii K., following the country’s privacy rules. Prosecutors accuse him of belonging to a group that allegedly planted explosive devices near the Danish island of Bornholm.
He faces charges including collusion to cause an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage and destruction of critical infrastructure.
His attorney, Nicola Canestrini, said he believes the case will not hold once examined in a German court.
“I’m confident my client will be acquitted after trial,” Canestrini said, stressing that Serhii K. denies all accusations.
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The suspect was arrested in August in the Italian city of Rimini on a European warrant but spent months contesting Germany’s extradition request before running out of legal options.
The investigation widened earlier this year when Germany sought another Ukrainian suspect from Poland. However, a Polish court refused the request and ordered the man’s immediate release, arguing that he should not be handed over to German authorities.
Germany has not commented publicly on the Polish ruling, but investigators have continued to gather evidence across multiple jurisdictions, according to Reuters and other international outlets.
The Nord Stream explosions in September 2022 were widely described by both Western governments and Russia as an act of sabotage. The blasts destroyed large segments of the pipelines on the seabed and intensified debate over who stood to gain from the attack.
Although Russia had already reduced gas deliveries sharply before the explosions, the damage cemented a long-term break in energy flows that once supplied a major share of Europe’s natural gas.
German prosecutors have not named any states or organizations as being behind the operation, citing ongoing investigative work.
With the extradition now moving ahead, German authorities are expected to question Serhii K. under formal custody as they continue to build a case that remains one of Europe’s most sensitive unsolved security incidents.