ITALY’S highest court has approved the extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian man suspected of setting off explosions that damaged Nord Stream pipelines between Russia and Germany more than three years ago.

Serhii Kuznietsov’s defence lawyer said that his client would be turned over to German authorities within the next few days, after the Court of Cassation rejected a final defence appeal on Wednesday. 

Nicola Canestrini expressed confidence that his client would be acquitted if tried.

The explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which carried Russian natural gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany until Russia cut off supplies at the end of August 2022. They also damaged the parallel Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which never entered service because Germany suspended its certification process shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 2022.

German prosecutors allege that Mr Kuznietsov organised and carried out the detonation of at least four bombs at a depth of 230-263ft near the Danish island of Bornholm on September 26 2022.

Mr Kuznietsov has denied involvement in the explosions, saying he was in Ukraine, where he was serving as an army captain, at the time of the blasts.