"Nord Stream" pipeline explosions: trial of Ukrainian Kuznetsov begins in Germany
The trial of Serhii Kuznetsov begins today in Germany; he is accused of organizing a covert operation to blow up the "Nord Stream" gas pipelines in September 2022.
Reuters reports this, according to Censor.NET.
Details
According to the publication, Kuznetsov is accused of leading a group of Ukrainian agents that included divers and an explosives expert.
"According to investigators, they carried out one of the largest sabotage operations against infrastructure in recent history. This case will be the first opportunity to publicly examine the evidence gathered during a years-long investigation," Reuters reports.
Kuznetsov denies any involvement in the explosions.
German prosecutors claim that the actions of which Serhii Kuznetsov is accused could constitute a war crime.
The publication also noted that Kuznetsov is the only person who will stand trial. Meanwhile, another man, Volodymyr Zhuravlev, was arrested in Croatia; prosecutors believe he was one of the divers in this group.
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.
- On July 1, 2026, Germany’s Federal Prosecutor General for the first time brought formal charges against Ukrainian citizen Serhii Kuznietsov, who is suspected of involvement in the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines on September 26, 2022.
