Germany’s top prosecutor has indicted a Ukrainian national, identified only as Serhii K, over the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. This development brings one of Europe’s most politically sensitive sabotage cases closer to trial. The indictment was served on Wednesday, but details of the charges have not been disclosed.
Media reports indicate that prosecutors accuse Serhii K of attacking civilian energy infrastructure, causing explosions, and destroying property. According to arrest documents, he allegedly coordinated a team that used the sailing yacht Andromeda to plant explosive devices on the Nord Stream pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm island in September 2022. The crew reportedly included a coordinator, a skipper, four divers, and an explosives expert, with Serhii K acting as the on-board leader.
The explosions significantly impacted gas supplies from Russia to Europe, exacerbating an energy crisis in Germany following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The case falls under German jurisdiction due to the pipelines’ termination in Germany, affecting national energy security. Serhii K, a former officer in a Ukrainian special forces unit, was arrested in Italy last August and later transferred to Germany. He has denied any involvement.
