A Ukrainian soldier is set to go on trial in Hamburg for his alleged involvement in the 2022 attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, a significant act of sabotage in postwar European history. Serhii Kuznetsov, a special forces officer from the Ukrainian military, faces accusations from prosecutors of being an accomplice to war crimes by attacking civilian infrastructure, causing explosions, damaging property, and disrupting public services.
Background of the Case
Kuznetsov, who will be referred to as Serhii K during the trial due to German privacy laws, is alleged to have prepared and executed the detonation of at least four incendiary devices weighing up to 27 kg at a depth of approximately 80 meters under the Baltic Sea, near the Danish island of Bornholm. He reportedly had six accomplices, including four deep-sea divers, an explosives expert, and a ship’s captain, who allegedly used a rented yacht and timer-controlled explosives.
Both Kuznetsov and Ukraine deny any involvement in the attacks. The explosions occurred on September 26, 2022, severely damaging the pipelines designed to transport Russian natural gas from Vyborg in western Russia to Lubmin, near Greifswald in northern Germany. The blasts caused the Nord Stream 1 pipelines, which were Russia’s primary gas supply route to Germany before supplies were cut in August 2022, to burst. They also damaged Nord Stream 2, which was never operational after Germany suspended its authorization process just before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Implications of the Attack
The attacks highlighted Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, particularly for Germany, and underscored the complexities of underground operations during wartime. Initially, security observers blamed Moscow for the attack, but Russia has denied involvement, instead accusing the US, which has also refuted these claims. In July, German state prosecutors alleged that Ukrainian state authorities ordered the attack, stating, "The aim was to permanently halt gas supplies via the pipelines and prevent Russia from using the revenue from natural gas trade to finance its war effort." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied any involvement from his country.
