Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov, arrested in Italy on suspicion of undermining the “Nord Streams”, has gone on hunger strike
Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov, arrested in Italy on suspicion of involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, has declared a hunger strike, demanding that his fundamental rights be respected in his place of detention. This was reported by his lawyer Nicolo Canestrini.
Canestrini noted that he had informed the competent authorities about the start of the hunger strike by his client, who is being held in an Italian maximum-security prison. Sergei Kuznetsov is there awaiting a decision on his extradition to Germany, where he is suspected of sabotage.
According to his lawyer, Kuznetsov has been refusing food since October 31, demanding respect for his fundamental rights, including the right to proper nutrition, a healthy environment, decent conditions of detention and equal treatment with other prisoners, in particular with regard to visits with his family and access to information. Canestrini also reported that since Kuznetsov was arrested on August 22, 2025, he has not been provided with a diet appropriate to his health, which has led to his deterioration.
“A prisoner’s hunger strike is always a warning signal, not only for the person concerned. No one should be forced to take extreme measures to achieve recognition of fundamental rights, the lawyer said.
He called on the prison administration and the Italian Ministry of Justice – Department of Penitentiary Affairs – to urgently intervene to ensure that Kuznetsov has conditions of detention that meet constitutional and international standards.
As a reminder, on October 27, the Bologna Court of Appeals re-authorized the extradition of former Ukrainian special forces officer Serhiy Kuznetsov to Germany. The defense appealed this decision to the Italian Supreme Court.
On August 21, Italian police detained Kuznetsov on suspicion of involvement in the explosions at the Nord Stream gas pipeline. On September 16, a court in Bologna reclassified the Ukrainian’s case as a terrorist one when deciding on his extradition, although the German request referred to charges of sabotage.
On September 30, another Ukrainian, whom Germany suspects of involvement in the sabotage of the “Nord Stream”, was detained in Poland. He was arrested in Pruszków and handed over to the district prosecutor’s office in Warsaw. On October 1, the District Court of Warsaw ruled to temporarily detain Volodymyr Zhuravlev for seven days, and on October 6, the court extended his arrest for another 40 days.
On October 16, the Italian Supreme Court overturned the decision to extradite Kuznetsov due to incorrect legal qualification of the case.
On October 17, the District Court of Warsaw rejected Germany’s request to extradite Volodymyr Zhuravlev and ordered his immediate release. The court explained that the evidence provided by German law enforcement officers was only one page long and could not be taken into account in the case.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki welcomed the decision of the Warsaw court to refuse to extradite Zhuravlev.
