The court postponed the hearing until September 9, his lawyer said. According to him, the court requested additional information about the conditions for the content of the suspected Ukrainian in Germany.
The Ukrainian lawyer said that his client denies any involvement in the explosions and called on the Italian judicial power to “not sacrifice him with rights”, allowing extradition.
Kuznetsov was detained in the province of Rimini in Italy on the basis of the European order for arrest issued on August 18 by a court in Germany. The German prosecutor’s office stated that Ukrainians are extradited from Italy to Germany, where he would be judged. The investigation believes that he coordinated operations to undermine gas pipelines near the German island of Bornholm in September 2022.
Kuznetsov refused extradition to Germany.
Context
“Northern Streams” – gas pipelines between the Russian Federation and Germany flying along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The first “northern stream” is stopped, and “Northern Stream – 2” He did not start working due to sanctions.
On the night of September 26, 2022 in the economic zone of Denmark A leak is recorded On one of the branches of the “Northern Stream – 2” highway. Later, similar leaks were recorded on both threads of the first “northern stream”. Shortly before the discovery of leaks, Swedish and Danish seismological stations Fixed underwater explosions.
Defense Ministers of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland They called what happened sabotage. The countries raised by the incident began an investigation. At the scene, extraneous objects were found, the analysis confirmed the remains of explosives. At the beginning of 2024, Denmark and Sweden The investigation of the explosions in the “northern streams” stopped without calling the culprits of the incident.
The illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin said that damage to the North Stream and North Stream 2 gas pipelines – 2 Organized Western countries, and the USA “are the main beneficiary.” Western countries deny their involvement in the incident. The office of the President of Ukraine believes that the sabotage on gas pipelines was beneficial to the Russian aggressor country, and deny involvement Kyiv.
Germany issued an arrest of all seven suspects of Ukrainians (four divers (including one woman), explosive specialist, Odessa skipper and coordinator) in the undermining of the Northern Streams. One of the suspects could die at the front.
