Italy extradites suspected Nord Stream saboteur

Serhij K., a Ukrainian national suspected of coordinating the attacks on three of the four Nord Stream pipelines on September 26, 2022 (220902), was extradited to Germany by the Italian judiciary on November 27. There, the investigating judge of the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe executed the arrest warrant. K. was then taken to Hamburg for remand in custody. If the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office brings charges, the criminal trial is expected to take place before the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court, which specializes in maritime law.

K.'s two lawyers had filed an appeal against the arrest warrant. They argued that their client could claim “functional immunity” under international law, as the act he is accused of should be considered part of a sovereign act of state. On October 17, a Polish court refused to extradite another alleged accomplice on similar grounds and released him from custody  (251004). However, this argument is flawed because the Ukrainian government has so far emphasized that it did not plan or carry out the bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines.

Links (internal)

• Poland does not extradite suspected Nord Stream saboteur (251004)
• Serhij K., arrested in Italy, is fighting his extradition (251004)
• Person involved in attack on Nord Stream pipelines arrested in Italy (250805)

• List of links to Nord Stream / Nord Stream 2 (Baltic Sea pipelines)