An Italian court has approved the extradition of a Ukrainian man suspected of taking part in the 2022 explosions that damaged Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, his lawyer confirmed on Monday.
The explosions destroyed three of the four Nord Stream gas pipelines, which had become a controversial symbol of Germany’s dependence on Russian energy following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The decision clears the way for German prosecutors to directly interrogate the suspect in connection with the sabotage, which severed a vital link to Russian gas supplies to Europe.
The man, identified only as Serhiy under German privacy laws, was arrested near the Italian city of Rimini in August on a European warrant. Reuters news agency quoted his lawyer as saying he would appeal the decision.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated…