MFA providing consular support to Kuznetsov, Ukrainian citizen detained in Italy, demanding his return to Ukraine
Ukraine is prepared to cooperate with the Italian and German sides in the investigation of the case in which Ukrainian citizen Serhiy Kuznetsov was detained, while also demanding his return to Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters.
"Since the detention of Ukrainian citizen Serhiy Kuznetsov in Italy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been providing consular support to our compatriot and his family and is in constant contact with Italian law enforcement agencies and the penitentiary institution to ensure proper conditions for the Ukrainian's detention," the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that following reports of a Ukrainian citizen's hunger strike, consular officials from the Consulate General of Ukraine in Milan held an emergency meeting with him on November 5—the fourth meeting overall since his arrest in August of this year.
"During the hour-and-a-half-long conversation, consular officials learned about our citizen's current condition, the conditions of his detention, and the attitude of the facility's administration. They once again offered him the diplomatic mission's full assistance," the department added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that Ukraine will continue to defend the legitimate rights and interests of its citizens and fight for their strict observance.
"We once again emphasize our readiness to cooperate with the Italian and German sides during the investigation of this case, while simultaneously demanding the return of our citizen to Ukraine," the ministry said.
As reported, Serhiy Kuznetsov was arrested on August 21, based on a European arrest warrant issued by the German Federal Court, at a country hotel in San Clemente near the Italian city of Rimini after registering there. He has since been held in the resort town of Riccione. On September 16, an Italian court ordered Kuznetsov's extradition to Germany. His lawyer filed an appeal. During the court hearing, the Ukrainian stated that he was in Ukraine on the day of the gas pipeline explosion. On October 16, the Italian Court of Cassation overturned the Court of Appeal's extradition decision.
The twin-pipe Nord Stream 1 pipeline, running through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, with a total capacity of over 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year, was commissioned in 2011-2012. The parallel Nord Stream 2 was intended to transport a similar volume of gas; however, despite its completion, it never entered service due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. In September 2022, an explosion depressurized two lines of Nord Stream 1 and one of Nord Stream 2 near the Danish island of Bornholm. Russia has opened a criminal case under the article on international terrorism. Germany is also continuing its investigation into the explosions, while Sweden closed its investigation in February 2024.
