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A Polish judge has dealt a significant blow to Germany's efforts to extradite a Ukrainian suspect in connection with the sabotage of two critical gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, a Ukrainian citizen suspected by German authorities of involvement in the explosions that crippled Russia's Nord Stream gas pipeline supply lines in September 2022, was ordered released from custody and given compensation by Polish judge Dariusz Lubowski.
Lubowski ruled that if Ukraine was responsible for the attacks, then they were "just" acts, sparking a mixture of reactions from observers. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has taken to social media to express his support for the decision, stating that the case is now closed.
The Polish judge based his ruling on the context of the war in Ukraine, which he described as "a bloody and genocidal attack." He argued that if Ukraine's special forces had planned an armed mission to destroy enemy pipelines, these actions would have been justified and rational.
However, Germany has expressed reservations about Lubowski's decision. The foreign minister stated that while he respects the ruling, it is not his place to interfere with the courts. Meanwhile, in Italy, another Ukrainian suspect โ Serhiy Kuznetsov โ was detained in August on suspicion of involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage and released on bail after a court annulled his extradition order.
The situation highlights the complexities of international cooperation in pursuing those responsible for alleged crimes across borders.
Lubowski ruled that if Ukraine was responsible for the attacks, then they were "just" acts, sparking a mixture of reactions from observers. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has taken to social media to express his support for the decision, stating that the case is now closed.
The Polish judge based his ruling on the context of the war in Ukraine, which he described as "a bloody and genocidal attack." He argued that if Ukraine's special forces had planned an armed mission to destroy enemy pipelines, these actions would have been justified and rational.
However, Germany has expressed reservations about Lubowski's decision. The foreign minister stated that while he respects the ruling, it is not his place to interfere with the courts. Meanwhile, in Italy, another Ukrainian suspect โ Serhiy Kuznetsov โ was detained in August on suspicion of involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage and released on bail after a court annulled his extradition order.
The situation highlights the complexities of international cooperation in pursuing those responsible for alleged crimes across borders.