German prosecutors have accused Ukrainian state authorities of ordering the 2022 explosives attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, a charge likely to strain relations between Kyiv and Berlin. The federal prosecutor's office indicted Serhiy Kuznietsov, a former Ukrainian army officer, for war crimes, causing an explosion, and disrupting public services.
Details of the Indictment
According to the indictment, Kuznietsov and other military members devised the plan to destroy Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines on orders from Ukrainian state authorities after Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The aim was to halt gas supplies and prevent Russia from using revenues to finance its war. The sabotage in the Baltic Sea nearly destroyed the seabed infrastructure, releasing record methane amounts.
Kuznietsov was arrested in Italy in August 2024 and extradited to Germany in November. He allegedly entered Germany via Poland on 4 September 2022 using a forged Ukrainian passport. He then boarded a chartered sailing yacht with other group members, transporting weapons-grade explosives to a site near Bornholm, Denmark, and attaching timed explosive devices to the pipelines.
Political and Legal Implications
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated he had not yet received full details of the indictment. Germany, Ukraine's largest national military backer, did not immediately comment. The far-right Alternative für Deutschland party, which opposes military aid to Ukraine, may use the case to push for cutting support ahead of September elections.
The war crime charge carries a minimum three-year prison sentence. The trial is expected in Hamburg in autumn 2025. The case falls under German jurisdiction because the pipelines end at Lubmin, affecting Germany's energy security.
