Poland decides on the extradition of a Ukrainian in connection with the Nord Stream explosions

A Polish court will decide on Friday whether Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Z. will be extradited to Germany, where he is charged with sabotage in connection with the explosions on the Nord Stream pipeline. According to German authorities, he was part of a group that allegedly planted explosives.

However, Warsaw is sending mixed signals. It emphasizes that the decision rests solely with the courts, but Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that the extradition of the accused is not in Poland's interest. He pointed out that the problem is not the attack, but the existence of the pipelines themselves.

Nord Stream has long been a source of tension between Poland and Germany. A Polish prosecutor said there was no legal reason not to extradite the suspect.

Volodymyr Z.'s Ukrainian lawyer, on the other hand, insists that his client is innocent and questions whether an attack on Russian property during the war constitutes a criminal offense at all.

Meanwhile, an Italian court blocked the extradition of a second Ukrainian on procedural grounds.

(reuters, lup)