Nord Stream sabotage: Ukrainian charged – investigators speak of overwhelming evidence
Germany's federal prosecutor has charged a Ukrainian man in connection with the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022. Media reports describe incriminating telephone calls and mobile phone evidence.
Nord Stream sabotage: Ukrainian charged – investigators speak of overwhelming evidence
Germany's federal prosecutor has formally charged a man in connection with the destruction of both Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022. The suspect is accused of causing an explosion that destroyed civilian energy infrastructure. This was confirmed by the law firm defending the man, as Le Quotidien reports.
According to German media, the man is a Ukrainian citizen who is alleged to have commanded the operation that carried out the attack on the underwater pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Public broadcaster ARD, the Süddeutsche Zeitung, and weekly magazine Die Zeit report consistently that the defendant chartered the sailing boat from which the sabotage was carried out.
The same Ukrainian was arrested in Italy on 21 August 2025 and extradited to Germany in September. He goes by the name Sergei Kusnezov and stated that he was commander of the Ukrainian army until 2023 at the time of the incident. He claims he was in Ukraine during the attack.
The evidence collected against him is assessed by the media as incriminating. The man is said to have made telephone calls with associates about the attacks. Investigators also found evidence on his mobile telephone that suggests his involvement.
On 26 September 2022, seven months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, four massive gas leaks occurred in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. They were triggered by underwater explosions and occurred within a few hours of each other. The pipelines transported the bulk of Russian gas to Europe.
Germany, Sweden and Denmark initiated separate investigations. The Scandinavian countries closed their proceedings in 2024. German investigators found traces of a military explosive mixture on board the sailing boat. This trace led them to the Ukrainian.
The trial is to take place in Hamburg, where the defendant is currently in pre-trial detention.
Source: Le Quotidien