German prosecution indicts Ukrainian in Nord Stream pipeline sabotage
Federal prosecutors in Karlsruhe have indicted a Ukrainian citizen accused of involvement in the sabotage of the Baltic Sea pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 in September 2022.
German prosecution indicts Ukrainian in Nord Stream pipeline sabotage
In the case of the destroyed Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, German federal prosecutors in Karlsruhe have now lodged the first indictment. The accused is a Ukrainian national who has been held in German pre-trial detention since November 2024.
The man, identified only as Serhij K., is believed by investigators to have been aboard the vessel that a Ukrainian commando used in September 2022 to blow up the two pipelines. The prosecution accuses him of sabotage, causing an explosion and destruction of structures. Investigators also regard him as the coordinator of the entire operation.
The prosecution authority is proceeding on the basis of convincing evidence. According to reports, the suspect is said to have incriminated himself by speaking on the telephone to relatives about the attacks while in Italian extradition detention. Additionally, investigators found evidence on his mobile phone suggesting his involvement.
Italian police arrested the Ukrainian near the seaside resort of Rimini in August 2024 on the basis of a European arrest warrant. In November he was extradited to Germany, where he has remained in custody since.
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were damaged by explosions on 26 September 2022. Whilst Nord Stream 1 had transported gas from Russia to Germany since 2011, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was completed in 2021, never commercially carried gas. It had not become operational due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In addition to Germany, Denmark and Sweden also investigated the pipeline explosion. Both countries have since discontinued their investigations. Swedish prosecutors declared in February 2024 that they lacked jurisdiction. Denmark stated a few days later that it believed the act was deliberate but saw insufficient grounds for prosecution in Danish courts.
A second suspect was arrested in Poland in September 2024. However, a Polish court rejected his extradition to Germany and released him from custody.
Source: Aktuálně.cz
Source: Aktuálně.cz