Germany has brought charges against Ukrainian Kuznetsov in connection with Nord Stream pipeline sabotage case
The German Attorney General has for the first time brought formal charges against Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznetsov, whom investigators believe to be the organiser and leader of the sabotage group that blew up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines on 26 September 2022.
This was reported by the ARD television channel’s news programme Tagesschau, according to Censor.NET.
Charges against a Ukrainian national
According to German journalists, the evidence gathered against Serhii Kuznetsov is "absolutely conclusive". The investigation has established that he was the leader of the sabotage group. The Ukrainian allegedly commanded operations from aboard the yacht ‘Andromeda’, from which, according to the investigation, divers were deployed in the autumn of 2022 to carry out an attack on the gas pipelines.
Investigators also found evidence on his mobile phone suggesting his involvement in the bombing. According to the investigation, whilst in prison in Italy, Kuznetsov spoke on the phone with relatives and acquaintances about the bombing.
The man is accused of an attack on energy infrastructure (which constitutes a war crime under international law), resulting in an explosion and destruction.
How the sabotage took place
According to the case file, a Ukrainian team, which included several professional civilian divers, chartered the yacht ‘Andromeda’ in the autumn of 2022. On board, experts subsequently found microparticles of a mixture of military explosives — hexogen and octogen.
Saboteurs placed homemade bombs fitted with timers directly on the pipes on the seabed. On 26 September 2022, the devices detonated, completely destroying three of the four lines of the "Nord Stream-1" and "Nord Stream-2" gas pipelines.
The sabotage of the ‘Nord Stream’ pipelines
- On 26 September 2022, three explosions occurred on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, which run along the seabed of the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, causing massive gas leaks.
- The governments of the US, the UK and the EU have stated that this was a deliberate act of sabotage.
- In early February 2024, Sweden closed its investigation into the bombing of the Nord Stream pipeline due to a lack of jurisdiction.
- Subsequently, Germany issued arrest warrants for all those suspected of carrying out acts of sabotage on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022. All of them are Ukrainian nationals.
- The Bologna Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the extradition to Germany of the Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznetsov.
- On 1 October, the Warsaw District Court ruled that the Ukrainian national Volodymyr Zh., whom the German authorities suspect of involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022, should be remanded in custody for seven days.
- On 6 October, the Warsaw Regional Court extended the detention of the Ukrainian national Volodymyr Zh. by 40 days.
- The Court of Appeal in Bologna upheld the decision to extradite to Germany Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznetsov, who is suspected of involvement in the bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022.
- Subsequently, the Italian Constitutional Court authorised the extradition of Ukrainian citizen Serhii Kuznetsov to Germany.
- On 27 November, Italy extradited the Ukrainian Serhii Kuznetsov to Germany.
- On 28 November, Kuznetsov was taken into custody in Germany.
- According to media reports, Kuznetsov served in the Special Operations Forces.
