Particle.news
Download on the App Store

German Probe Points to Ukrainian Unit in Nord Stream Blasts as Italy Weighs Extradition

The probe’s focus on a Ukrainian chain of command is fueling extradition fights across the EU.

Overview

  • German investigators, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, say an elite Ukrainian team carried out the 2022 pipeline attacks under the direct supervision of then‑commander Valeriy Zaluzhny.
  • Prosecutors have sought warrants for three Ukrainian soldiers and four veteran divers, with Serhii Kuznietsov identified by investigators as the operation’s commander.
  • Kuznietsov was arrested in Italy in August and remains in high‑security detention during appeals over a German European Arrest Warrant, while his lawyer reports he is on hunger strike.
  • A grainy German speed‑camera image that investigators say was matched via commercial facial‑recognition software is described as a decisive lead that helped map links among suspects.
  • Political repercussions are widening, with Poland refusing to extradite a suspect and European debate sharpening over support for Kyiv and the probe’s implications.