Italy’s top court has approved the extradition of a Ukrainian man, identified as Serhii K., to Germany, where he faces charges related to the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The suspect, a former Ukrainian military officer, has been contesting his transfer since being detained in Rimini, Italy, under a European arrest warrant in August. His lawyer expressed disappointment but remains hopeful for acquittal after the trial in Germany.

German prosecutors allege that Serhii K. was involved in planting explosive devices on the Nord Stream pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm island, in acts described as sabotage that disrupted Russian gas transit to Europe and strained energy supplies across the continent. He faces charges including collusion to cause an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage, and destruction of critical infrastructure.

The suspect has been held in a high-security Italian prison, where he reportedly staged a hunger strike to protest prison conditions. The court’s ruling comes amid contrasting decisions in the region, with a Polish court recently rejecting the extradition of another Ukrainian linked to the explosions, ordering his release.

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