Germany opens trial for Ukrainian accused in Nord Stream pipeline sabotage

A trial began on October 14 in Hamburg's Higher Regional Court against Serhii K. (also identified as Serhiy Kuznetsov), a Ukrainian citizen accused of involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in September 2022. German prosecutors allege he coordinated a group of divers, a boat captain, and an explosives expert who rented a yacht called the Andromeda, transported explosives to the seabed near the Danish island of Bornholm, and planted them on the pipelines. The court has scheduled 16 hearings through at least February 2027.

The case is politically sensitive because Germany is a close military backer of Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion. German prosecutors have stated the suspects acted "on behalf of state authorities in Ukraine," a claim that has sparked significant controversy. They allege the goal was to permanently stop Russian gas deliveries to Germany and prevent Russia from financing its war effort through natural gas revenue. Ukraine's government and President Volodymyr Zelensky have consistently denied any involvement in the attack. Serhii K. denies the charges. A second suspect, identified as Vladimir Z., is in custody in Croatia fighting extradition to Germany.

According to German investigators, Serhii K. entered Germany on a forged Ukrainian passport in September 2022 and coordinated the operation. During extradition proceedings from Italy, intercepted phone calls recorded him discussing the operation with his wife and mentioning advice from a lawyer to characterize it as an official military operation, though his Italian lawyer has disputed the significance of this evidence. German federal court in January 2025 ruled the case fell within German jurisdiction as it involved undermining Germany's internal security.

The attack occurred on September 26, 2022, damaging three of four pipeline sections in the Baltic Sea. At the time, Russia had already shut off gas flow through Nord Stream 1, and Nord Stream 2 had never been activated. Western governments initially suspected Russian involvement, though Russia blamed Anglo-Saxon countries. After investigations by Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, prosecutors focused on the group of divers involved.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated the Kremlin expects the trial to identify both perpetrators and those who ordered the attack, saying "no one has any doubt about who was actually behind it." Ukrainian officials have presented alternative interpretations: Foreign Affairs Committee chair Oleksandr Merezhko characterized Nord Stream as a Russian tool to prepare for war, while others argue the trial reflects political divisions between Berlin and Kyiv despite their military alliance.