Arrested Ukrainian 'probably' head of Nord Stream sabotage plot: was Kyiv involved?

According to the latest findings, the Ukrainian Serhii K., who was arrested in Italy, is said to have led the overall operation of the explosives attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines and the sabotage team. This is according to the arrest warrant, which was presented to a research team from German public broadcaster ARD, daily Süddeutsche Zeitung and weekly DIE ZEIT.

The alleged attacker's lawyer denies the allegations, as reported by Italian media. The Ukrainian citizen was arrested on Wednesday evening in the province of Rimini, Italy. He was on holiday there with his wife and two children in a holiday home. The 49-year-old is suspected of anti-constitutional sabotage. An international arrest warrant had been issued for him.

Traces all the way to Ukraine

On 26 September 2022, unknown persons blew up three of the four Nord Stream pipelines at the bottom of the Baltic Sea with bombs. The pipelines were intended to supply Germany with Russian gas. When the war in Ukraine began, the project came to a halt.

According to investigations, the suspected Ukrainian, together with five other men and a woman, is said to have obtained false passports. They sailed to the pipelines on a boat called "Andromeda", which they had previously hired. There, divers planted at least four bombs at depths of up to 70 to 80 metres and attached them to the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, according to the arrest warrant. They were then allegedly picked up by a driver and taken to Ukraine.

Will relations between Germany and Ukraine be put to the test?

Officials in the investigation team assume that the suspects are several civilians, former but also active military personnel, making the case particularly sensitive. The German investigators tracked down a man named as Volodymyr S. last year, one of the suspected divers in the Nord Stream case. He had been staying in Poland. But Volodymyr S. was able to evade arrest. According to media reports, he fled in a Ukrainian diplomatic vehicle before the Polish police were able to apprehend him.

The alleged head of the sabotage team was also found to have links to the Ukrainian secret service. According to information from weekly newsmagazine Der Spiegel, he is said to have worked for the Ukrainian secret service SBU ten years ago. He is still active in an association for security service reservists, as DIE ZEIT reports.

The possibility that the Ukrainian government may have been involved cannot therefore be ruled out. This is a delicate issue that could put relations between Germany and Ukraine to the test. Until now, Germany has been considered one of Ukraine's strongest supporters in the war with Russia. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has so far denied Ukraine's involvement in the Nord Stream affair.

Serhii K. is to remain in custody in Italy until at least the beginning of September, according to the Italian authorities. He could then be extradited to Germany. The Ukrainian citizen intends to defend himself against a transfer to Germany, according to Italian media reports citing his lawyer. A hearing on a possible extradition is due to take place in the middle of next week. If convicted, Serhii K. is facing up to 15 years in prison.