German Prosecutors Charge 50-Year-Old Serhii K. in 2022 Nord Stream Sabotage, Blaming Ukraine
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Jul 2
German Prosecutors Charge 50-Year-Old Serhii K. in 2022 Nord Stream Sabotage, Blaming Ukraine
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Jul 2
Summary
German prosecutors said Serhii K., 50, and six accomplices blew up the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in September 2022 on orders from Ukrainian state authorities.
Prosecutors said the team—described as Ukrainian military personnel—aimed to permanently stop gas flows and deny Russia revenue for its war, traveling via Germany on fake passports and renting the yacht Andromeda in Rostock.
Investigators said traces of HMX and RDX were found on the yacht, and timed explosives were attached near Bornholm on Sept. 22 before detonating four days later and heavily damaging the pipelines.
K. was extradited from Italy after his August 2025 arrest on a German warrant, faces charges including complicity in a war crime and causing an explosion, and denies any role.
The case is diplomatically sensitive for Berlin, a major military backer of Ukraine; prosecutors noted Nord Stream 1 had carried about half of Germany's annual gas supply before the blasts.
With overwhelming evidence alleged, what is the basis for the Ukrainian officer's claim of innocence in the Nord Stream sabotage case?
How will Germany's support for Kyiv change now that a Ukrainian officer is on trial for the Nord Stream attack?
Did a top Ukrainian general defy presidential orders to bomb the Nord Stream pipelines, risking the alliance with Germany?
First Charges Filed in 2022 Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage: Ukrainian National Faces Trial Amid Geopolitical Tensions
Overview
In July 2026, German prosecutors formally charged Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznietsov with war crimes, sabotage, and destruction of infrastructure for allegedly leading the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions. Investigators claim Kuznietsov, a former soldier, commanded the yacht 'Andromeda,' from which a team of divers attached explosives with timed detonators to the pipelines. The explosives detonated four days later, causing massive gas leaks and severely damaging Nord Stream 1 and 2. Kuznietsov denies involvement, but the case has sparked international attention, highlighting complex geopolitical tensions and raising questions about energy security and legal accountability.