German prosecutors reports Ukrainian detained in Italy due to Nord Stream sabotage

(MENAFN) German prosecutors announced Thursday that Italian authorities have detained a Ukrainian national suspected of involvement in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

The suspect, identified only as Sergey K, was arrested near Rimini under a European arrest warrant. Investigators allege he led a group that rented a small yacht, sailed into the Baltic Sea, and planted explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in September 2022.

Once extradited, he will appear before a judge at Germany’s Federal Court of Justice. Prosecutors have been investigating the blasts for more than two years on charges of sabotage and unlawful use of explosives.

The underwater explosions ruptured both pipelines, initially sparking accusations against Russia. However, German investigators later traced the operation to a rented yacht linked to Ukrainian nationals. They claim Sergey K organized the team that placed explosives near the Danish island of Bornholm, departing from the German port of Rostock using standard diving equipment.

The Nord Stream attacks were widely seen as a strike on Europe’s critical energy infrastructure amid the escalating Ukraine conflict.

Speculation over responsibility has persisted. In February 2022, then-US President Joe Biden had vowed to “end” Nord Stream if Russia invaded Ukraine. In 2023, journalist Seymour Hersh alleged that Biden ordered US Navy divers to plant explosives during NATO exercises, a claim the White House dismissed as false.

Swedish engineer Erik Andersson, who led the only independent on-site forensic investigation, later suggested the sabotage may have been part of a broader effort to sever Europe’s energy ties with Russia.

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