A Ukrainian former military officer is on the 10th day of a hunger strike in an Italian prison, where he accused the authorities of blowing up Russian pipes in 2022.
Serhaton Kuznetsov was detained in Italy in August on an arrest warrant from Germany.
In a letter shown to the BBC by his lawyer, Mr. Kuznetsov said that he was treated as “criminal No.1”, held in a high-security facility by chopped members of the so-called Islamic State (or isis). The BBC has contacted the prison, but it has yet to comment.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack on Russian gas pipelines in Germany.
In his first public comment since his arrest, Mr. Kuznetsov wrote – by hand – that “the Italians did not pay attention to my diet for two months.
“They think that these restrictions will affect my position, and you will tell me my sin. But such efforts are useless.”
A relative of Mr. Kuznetsov’s told me that they tried to deliver special food to the prison, but refused – and they were worried that he was “tired”.
The Nord Stream pipelines were destroyed under the Baltic Sea at the beginning of the whole Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It was a high-profile and controversial attack.
Many initially suspected Russian involvement and an attempt by Moscow to dampen Europe by restricting energy supplies.
But this summer, German prosecutors activated the arrests of two of the men they suspect of the attack: Serhiy Kuznessov and a second Ukrainti citizen, Volangymyr Zharavlyov, who is being held in Poland.
German prosecutors cited charges of “anti-constitutional sabotage” as grounds for the extradition requests.
A ruling in Warsaw ruled against Mr. Zhuravlyov’s extradition, saying that, if Ukrainians were involved, the attack would amount to a “bloody, genocidal war”.
In Italy, on the contrary, a court in Bologna last month approved the exhaton of Seriy Kuzneyssov in a closed hearing. He is now appealing against that ruling a second time.
“He told me that he lost 9kg when I said that his clothes were hanging obscenely,” the Ukrainian lawyer, Nicola Canstrini, said, after visiting his client in hunger.
The lawyer said that Kuznetsov refused all solid food but was “doing well and was clear-headed”.
Serhiy Kuzneyso complained in his letter about exercising in isolation and under armed guard and being subject to the “greatest restrictions”.
His lawyer told the BBC he felt Mr Kuznetsov had been “abandoned” by the Ukrainian Government “like an old boot”.
“He is in the army, so they must know that he is there or not? If he is there, protect him too – if not, they must protect him too,” he must protect him, “he must protect him too,” he must protect him too, “he is helping to attack.
Ukrainian officials have consistently denied any involvement. They declined to comment again recently when approached by the BBC.
On Sunday, the human rights Ombudsman in Kyiv, Dmytro Sundinets, said that a counselor is looking into the case and will check the prison conditions.
In his letter, Mr. Kuznetsov said that he understands that his government “now has more important things to look at, which is looking for an end to the war”.
He ended on a patriotic note, writing: “I love Ukraine very much and I am happy to have the honor of being an officer in its armed forces.”
His final appeal hearing in Italy is due in the next couple of weeks.