Ukrainian Officer Accused In 2022 Nord Stream Blasts Starts Hunger Strike In Italian Prison

A former Ukrainian army officer accused of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions has gone on a hunger strike in an Italian high-security prison, his lawyer confirmed on Tuesday.

The suspect, identified as Serhii Kuznietsov, was arrested on 21 August near the Italian coastal city of Rimini under a European arrest warrant issued by Germany. He has been refusing food since 31 October, demanding that his fundamental rights be respected while in custody, his lawyer Nicola Canestrini told Italian media.

According to Canestrini, Kuznietsov has been held for several months in a maximum-security prison under conditions he described as inadequate.

The lawyer said his client had not been provided with a diet suitable for his health needs, leading to a deterioration in his physical condition since his arrest. He added that Kuznietsov was also seeking equal treatment with other prisoners in terms of family visits and access to information.

Se video og fotos af gaslækagerne på Nord Stream 1 og 2-gasledningerne i Østersøen på https://t.co/pj96CN7CDB: https://t.co/7bgt8TljaH #dkforsvar pic.twitter.com/I1zEPaBLYO

— Forsvaret (@forsvaretdk) September 27, 2022

The lawyer has asked Italy’s Ministry of Justice and the prison authorities to take immediate action to ensure that Kuznietsov is treated according to constitutional and international standards. The ministry has not yet commented on the issue.

On 17 September, the Bologna Court of Appeal ordered Kuznietsov’s extradition to Germany, where he faces charges in connection with explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines beneath the Baltic Sea in September 2022.

The transfer order remains pending as the case awaits a hearing before Italy’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest court, expected within a month.

The Nord Stream explosions were a major act of sabotage that badly damaged the pipelines carrying Russian gas to Europe. The blasts disrupted Europe’s energy supplies during a time of rising tensions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Reference: Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News