Serhii Kuznetsov, a Ukrainian national who was arrested in Italy on suspicion of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion, has denied the accusations, insisting he was in Ukraine at the time of the explosion.

Source: Italian news agency ANSA, as reported by European Pravda

Details: At a hearing in the Bologna Court of Appeal, Kuznetsov said he refused to be extradited to Germany.

In a few brief remarks, he distanced himself from the charges, saying he wanted to read them in his native language, and stressed that he had been in Ukraine at the time of the Nord Stream incident in the Baltic Sea.

Kuznetsov said he was in Italy, where he was detained, for family reasons.

Addressing journalists and photographers in the court’s inner courtyard, he raised three fingers in a gesture signifying the Ukrainian trident.

The 49-year-old was then escorted by officers to the courtroom, where the issue of confirming the European arrest warrant was due to be considered.

The hearing was immediately adjourned until the afternoon so that a Ukrainian-language interpreter could be found. Although an English interpreter was present, Kuznetsov said his English was not good enough and he needed a Ukrainian or Russian interpreter. The judge ordered one to be found.

The court ultimately confirmed that Kuznetsov should remain in custody. The next hearing is scheduled for 3 September, when the decision on his possible extradition to Germany will be made.

Background:

Kuznetsov was arrested by Italian police in the Rimini area on Wednesday evening under a European arrest warrant issued at the request of the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office. The media reported that he had been in Italy on holiday.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the time that Kyiv was not involved in the explosions and suggested thinking about who might have benefited from spreading such claims in the media.

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