Ukrainian Ex-Officer Stands Trial in Germany for Nord Stream Bombings

A Ukrainian former military officer refused to testify as his trial began in Hamburg, Germany, on charges related to the 2022 bombings of the Nord Stream pipelines. Sergiy Kuznietsov, 50, is accused of orchestrating a plot to damage the undersea gas pipelines that transported Russian gas to Europe.

Kuznietsov, who was arrested in Italy and extradited to Germany, faces charges including carrying out a "war crime," attacking civilian infrastructure, and causing an explosion. German investigators allege that Kuznietsov led a group of divers, an explosives expert, and a boat captain in planting explosive devices on the pipelines. According to the indictment, the group entered Germany in early September 2022 using a forged Ukrainian passport and embarked on a rented yacht from Rostock. The yacht allegedly carried military-grade explosives to a location near the Danish island of Bornholm, where divers planted the charges.

The Nord Stream pipelines, owned by a consortium led by Russian energy giant Gazprom, were severely damaged in a series of explosions in September 2022, approximately seven months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the time of the blasts, none of the pipelines were in operation; Nord Stream 1 had already suspended deliveries to Western Europe amid EU sanctions, and Nord Stream 2 had never entered service.

Kuznietsov's defense lawyers reportedly attempted to challenge the German court's jurisdiction and have suggested they may argue that the pipelines constituted legitimate military targets in Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion. Russia, through Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, has expressed expectations that the trial will identify those responsible, including the masterminds behind the operation.

A senior Ukrainian official told Agence France-Presse that Kyiv has "no expectations from the trial," while the country has consistently denied orchestrating the sabotage. However, Ukraine has not concealed its satisfaction with the outcome, stating that rendering the pipelines inoperable weakened Moscow's ability to fund its war effort.

Another suspect, identified partially as Volodymyr Z. and accused of participating as a diver, was arrested in Croatia in August and faces extradition to Germany, though he is appealing the decision. Reports indicate Volodymyr Z. was advising filmmakers on a Hollywood movie inspired by the sabotage. He had previously been arrested in Poland but was released after a judge ruled that sabotaging the pipelines could be justified as part of Ukraine's defense.

Pro-Ukrainian demonstrators gathered outside the Hamburg courthouse, holding placards that read "Russia is a terrorist" and questioning the definition of war crimes. The Nord Stream sabotage remains a sensitive issue in Germany, with some attributing the attacks to increased energy prices and a worsening gas crisis in Europe's largest economy. Germany has been a leading military supporter of Kyiv since the invasion and frequently accuses Russia of sabotage and espionage.