(MENAFN) Italy’s highest court has halted the extradition of a Ukrainian national accused of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, deciding that the case requires further legal review.

The Court of Cassation ruled in favor of Sergey Kuznetsov, citing an “incorrect legal classification” in the European arrest warrant, according to his lawyer, Nicola Canestrini. The ruling means the case will be reheard at a later date.

Kuznetsov, a former officer in Ukraine’s military, was arrested in August while vacationing near the Italian city of Rimini. He has denied any connection to the blasts that severely damaged the twin gas pipelines transporting Russian natural gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea.

Meanwhile, Poland’s National Security Bureau (BBN) announced its opposition to the extradition of another Ukrainian suspect, Vladimir Zhuravlyov, who was detained in Warsaw in late September. “It is in the vital interest of the Polish state for the alleged perpetrator or perpetrators of the damage to the Nord Stream gas pipeline to avoid being held accountable for this act,” the BBN said in a statement, according to reports.

Russia has repeatedly criticized Germany for excluding it from the official probe and for maintaining secrecy around the investigation. In 2024, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service head Sergey Naryshkin claimed he had “information” suggesting the US and UK were responsible for the sabotage. Washington, London, and Kiev have all denied any involvement.

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