The Ombudsmanʼs representative was admitted to prison to meet Ukrainian Kuznetsov — he is suspected of the “Nord Stream” blowing up

On November 15, Italian authorities allowed Oleksandr Horodetsky, a representative of the Verkhovna Rada Ombudsman, to visit Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov. He is in an Italian prison on a German warrant on suspicion of undermining the “Nord Stream” pipeline.

This was reported to Babel by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

The meeting lasted four hours, during which Kuznetsov filled out the Ombudsmanʼs questionnaire.

According to Lubinets, Kuznetsov was transferred to solitary confinement from the one where Islamic State terrorists were held. They smoked constantly, and Kuznetsov cannot stand tobacco smoke.

The Ukrainian also improved his diet, as he is vegan and has gluten intolerance. To protect his rights to food, Kuznetsov fasted from October 31 to November 11, and during this time he lost 9 kilograms.

Kuznetsov was given the opportunity to go to the gym and spend two hours with his wife. He asks her to send him news from Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry is supposed to hand over Kuznetsovʼs military documents to Italy, but it has not done so yet. Last week, Lubinets admitted for the first time that Serhiy Kuznetsov served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Therefore, he is protected by international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

Kuznetsov was also stopped being called a “terrorist” in court. The court hearing regarding his extradition to Germany is scheduled for November 19.

“Nord Stream” explosions

On September 26, 2022, three explosions occurred on the “Nord Stream 1” and “Nord Stream 2” pipelines, which run along the bottom of the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, causing massive gas leaks. Only one of the four strands of the gas pipeline remained intact.

The US, UK and EU governments have declared a deliberate sabotage. Russia believes that the US and its allies are interested in the bombings. Western and Russian media have written about different versions — from sabotage by the Russians themselves to the involvement of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied Ukraineʼs involvement in the sabotage.

On August 26, 2025, German investigators issued arrest warrants for six Ukrainians suspected of involvement in the bombing. Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov, who was detained in Italy and suspected of involvement in the sabotage, denies the charges. An Italian court allowed his extradition to Germany.

On October 27, a court in Bologna ordered the extradition of Serhiy Kuznetsov to Germany. The defense appealed to the Italian Supreme Court.

In October 2025, a Polish court refused to extradite another detainee in the case Volodymyr Zhuravlev to Germany. The court ruled that Germany had provided insufficient evidence and that the act he is accused of “was committed in the context of the criminal and genocidal war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine since 2014”. The Polish prosecutor’s office decided not to appeal the decision.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.