The Ukrainian suspect arrested by Nord Stream’s attacks had links with kyiv’s intelligence agency, Sky understands
By Simone Baglivo, producer of Europe
The Ukrainian suspected of coordinating the attacks against the Nord Stream pipes had served in the Ukraine Secret Service and in the Special Forces of the Ukrainian Army, understands Sky News.
The 49 -year -old man named Serhii K was arrested yesterday in northern Italy after a European arrest warrant by German prosecutors.
It is not known if he was still serving at the time of the attack of the pipe in 2022 and the Ukraine government has always denied any participation in the explosions.
According to sources close to the case, the suspect had been found in a three -star bungalow hotel called the fish in San Clemente, in the province of Rimini.
When the military officers of the Italian research and operational units of Italy attacked their room, it did not try to resist arrest.
Then their bungalow was recorded and the hotel employees have been questioned, but no more evidence or weapons were found, the sources added.
He arrived at the Adriatic coast of Italy earlier this week and the purpose of his trip was a vacation.
He was found with his two children and his wife.
At least one of the four people inside his family had a travel ticket broadcast in Poland.
Serhii crossed the Italian border with his car with a Ukrainian plaque last Tuesday.
He was traveling with his passport and used his true identity to register at the hotel, which caused an emergency alert on a police servant, they were told.
After the arrest, he was taken to the Rimini Police Station and today he was transferred to a prison in Bologna, the regional capital, waiting for a ruling on his extradition by the Court of Appeals.
The deputy prosecutor of Bologna, Lycagiarini, granted the requests of the German judicial authorities for the surrender of the suspect, but Sky News understands that the man told the Court of Appeals that he does not consent to be delivered to Germany.
This could delay extradition. At the moment, it will depend on the judge of appeal in Bologna decide.
Charges
He also denied the charges and said he was in Ukraine during sabotage. He added that he is currently in Italy for family reasons.
The next hearing will be on September 3, the court said. On that date, the Court of Appeals will decide whether it goes to Germany or not. Until then, he will remain in jail.
While leaving the Court today, he was seen making a typical Ukrainian nationalist ‘trident’ gesture for the media outside.
In Germany, he will face collusion positions to cause an explosion, unconstitutional sabotage and the destruction of structures.
For more information about Nord Stream research, observe the previous explanator of the European correspondent Siobhan Robbins …
German prosecutors believe it was part of a group of people who planted devices in the pipes near Bornholm’s island in September 2022.
Serhii and his accomplices had supposedly left Rostock on the northeast coast of Germany on a navigation yacht to carry out the attack.
The explosions severely damaged three pipes that transported gas from Russia to Europe.
Escalation
It represented a significant escalation in the Ukraine conflict and the worsening of the continent energy supply crisis.
According to a US intelligence report, a Pro-Ukraine group was leaked in 2023, it was behind the attack.
However, no group has claimed responsibility.
Sky News understands that the Office of the Prosecutor of Genoa in northern Italy has requested that its colleagues in Bologna share the information related to Serhii.
Ligurian anti -terrorist prosecutors are investigating another alleged sabotage linked to the Russian shadow fleet Seajewel, which sank in the port of Savona last February.
Yesterday, they asked a investigation police unit to understand if there is a link between that episode and Nord Stream attacks.
