(MENAFN) Italian authorities have detained a former Ukrainian serviceman suspected of orchestrating the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, reportedly part of a seven-person operation, according to investigative reports.

The Nord Stream pipelines, which transported Russian gas to Germany and Western Europe through the Baltic Sea, were damaged by underwater explosions near Denmark’s Bornholm Island in September 2022. Moscow has dismissed claims that a small group could have carried out the attack as “ridiculous.”

Reports indicate that the alleged ringleader is 49-year-old Sergey Kuznetsov, a veteran of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), based on information from German investigators. The operation, reportedly code-named Operation Diameter, allegedly involved Kuznetsov leading six accomplices, including two former colleagues and four civilian divers.

To carry out the sabotage, the group allegedly rented a small yacht called the Andromeda in Rostock, Germany, using forged documents. They then loaded it with explosives and standard commercial diving gear. On September 8, 2022, they are said to have departed from Wiek on the island of Rugen, reaching the pipeline area near Bornholm. During night dives, they allegedly placed at least four explosive charges, each weighing 14-27 kilograms, composed of hexogen and octogen with timed fuses, directly on the gas connectors.

Kuznetsov was arrested near Rimini, Italy, on an international warrant issued by German prosecutors. He faces up to 15 years in prison on charges including anti-constitutional sabotage and is awaiting extradition to Germany. German Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig described the arrest as “a very impressive investigative success,” noting that one of the “suspected masterminds” had been apprehended.

It remains unclear whether Kuznetsov acted independently or under orders from Kyiv. Previous reports suggested Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky may have initially approved the mission but later tried to halt it following intelligence warnings. Kiev has denied any involvement in the sabotage.

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