“Ukrainian serviceman Sergei Kuznetsov, held in Italy under a European arrest warrant issued by Germany, stopped the hunger strike that he began on October 31, 2025 in protest against the conditions of detention and the violation of his fundamental rights,” Lubinets wrote.
According to him, during the hunger strike Kuznetsov lost about 9 kg.
“The decision to end the protest was made after the Italian authorities provided assurances regarding the full respect of his rights, in particular to adequate nutrition in accordance with his needs,” the Ukrainian Ombudsman noted.
He said that the Ukrainian side persistently put pressure on the pre-trial detention center.
“Together [с омбудсменом Италии Марино Фарделли] We have achieved a response from the administration to the identified violations,” Lubinets noted.
The Ukrainian’s lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, said that the penitentiary administration “tried to respond constructively” to the problems identified.
According to him, Kuznetsov suffered from pancreatitis and celiac disease, and was also a vegan (quote from Reuters). Moreover, the Ukrainian did not smoke and was forced to share a cell for two and a half months with other prisoners who smoked around the clock, Canestrini added.
Context
Nord Streams are gas pipelines between the Russian Federation and Germany, running along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The first Nord Stream was stopped, and Nord Stream 2 did not start working due to sanctions. On the night of September 26, 2022, in the economic zone of Denmark, a leak was recorded on one of the branches of the Nord Stream 2 highway. Later, similar leaks were recorded on both lines of the first Nord Stream. Shortly before the leaks were discovered, Swedish and Danish seismological stations recorded underwater explosions. An investigation in 2024 did not name the culprits, but Germany issued arrest warrants for seven Ukrainians suspected of the bombing.
Kuznetsov was detained in August in the Italian province of Rimini on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued by a court in Germany. The German prosecutor's office stated that the Ukrainian would be extradited from Italy to Germany, where he would be tried. The investigation believes that he coordinated operations to blow up gas pipelines near the German island of Bornholm in September 2022. Kuznetsov refused extradition to Germany. He denies any involvement in the bombings.
On October 27, the Bologna Court of Appeal decided to extradite him to Germany. The Ukrainian’s defense filed an appeal to the Italian High Court.
Kuznetsov's lawyer said that the Ukrainian went on a hunger strike from 31 October, demanding adequate sanitation, access to nutrition, information and family contact. The situation took control Ombudsman of Ukraine.
