In a significant development, Italy’s highest appeals court has ruled that Serhiy Kuznetsov, a former Ukrainian military officer suspected of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, should be extradited to Germany. Kuznetsov faces charges of anti-constitutional sabotage for allegedly coordinating and leading a group that planted explosives on the pipelines beneath the Baltic Sea. Despite the lack of disclosed evidence, the case has strained relations between Ukraine and Germany, the latter being Ukraine’s largest military aid provider in Europe. Kuznetsov’s lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, argued that his client feels like a ‘scapegoat’ and expressed disappointment over the Ukrainian government’s silence on the matter. Kuznetsov was arrested in northern Italy in August 2023 and is set to be transferred to Germany under police escort. Meanwhile, another Ukrainian suspect, Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, was detained in Poland but was not extradited after a court deemed his actions as self-defense against Russia’s invasion. The case continues to spark debate, with many Ukrainians viewing the pipeline’s destruction as a heroic act against Russia, while Germany pursues prosecution, complicating its alliance with Ukraine.