A Ukrainian military officer, identified as 50-year-old Serhii K., is currently on trial in Hamburg for allegedly orchestrating the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022, which constitutes a war crime. Prosecutor Stefan Schmidt stated that Serhii K. was sanctioned by Ukrainian authorities to conduct this operation. He was apprehended in Italy last year and subsequently extradited to Germany.
According to the indictment, Serhii K. developed a scheme to destroy the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, aiming to obstruct gas deliveries and limit Russia’s ability to finance its military actions through gas revenue. He reportedly led a team that included divers, a boat captain, and an explosives specialist. In early September 2022, they allegedly used a rented yacht to transport explosives to a site near Denmark, where they later detonated devices attached to the pipelines on September 26.
Serhii K.’s defense team disputes the allegations, arguing that Germany lacks jurisdiction for war crime prosecution since the extradition from Italy was limited to charges of sabotage. They emphasized that no injuries resulted from the incident and contended that the prosecution is misidentifying the true perpetrators. Furthermore, they argue that Serhii K.’s ability to defend himself is compromised by legal constraints imposed by Ukrainian military regulations, calling for the case to be dismissed.
