several months after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The man, identified only as Serhii K, was arrested in the province of Rimini and was part of a group who planted explosives under the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines from Russia to Germany, federal prosecutors say. The blasts severed a key source of natural gas for Europe when leaders were facing an energy crisis triggered by Russia's war. No-one admitted carrying out the attack, and Ukraine has denied involvement.

The Ukrainian, who was detained by Italy's carabinieri military police stationed in the northern coastal resort of Misano Adriatico, is suspected of being one of the masterminds of the operation. Prosecutors said he was part of a team that had chartered a yacht and sailed from the German port of Rostock to an area of the Baltic near the Danish island of Bornholm. Although Nord Stream 2 never went into operation, Nord Stream 1's two pipelines had provided a steady supply 1,200km (745 miles) under the Baltic from the Russian coast to north-eastern Germany. Shortly before Russia's invasion, Germany had cancelled its process to approve Nord Stream 2, which was 100% owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom. Months later, Russia shut down Nord Stream 1. (BBC)