Germany has charged a Ukrainian man with involvement in the 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipeline beneath the Baltic Sea, an incident that remains full of mystery to this day.Tags: [Germany, Ukraine, Nord Stream, sabotage, Baltic Sea, criminal charges]
Foreign news agencies reported on 1 Jul 2026 GMT+7 that German prosecutors filed charges against a Ukrainian national identified only as "Serhii K" (due to German privacy laws) for the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea in 2022.Tags: [German prosecutors, Ukraine, Nord Stream, sabotage, legal proceedings]
German media reports state that the suspect is accused of being the leader and coordinator of the operation targeting the gas pipeline, which transports natural gas from Russia to Germany.Tags: [suspect, leadership, sabotage operation, energy infrastructure, Russia-Germany gas pipeline]
Local media noted that he is the same individual arrested in Italy during the summer of last year and extradited to Germany in November, despite his denial of involvement in the incident.Tags: [arrest, Italy, extradition, suspect denial, Germany]
So far, no party has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the Ukrainian government denies any involvement, a matter that could severely impact Ukraine-Germany relations.Tags: [responsibility denial, Ukraine government, diplomatic relations, Germany]
Menaker Law Office in Berlin, representing the Ukrainian man, told Reuters that formal charges were delivered last Wednesday. However, the law firm did not disclose details of the allegations.Tags: [legal representation, Menaker Law Office, charges filed, Reuters]
Meanwhile, German federal prosecutors confirmed to AFP that charges have been filed against one man related to the explosions.Tags: [German federal prosecutors, AFP, charges confirmed, explosions]
Germany's public broadcaster DW, citing local media, reported that the suspect is accused of leading a team of seven conspirators in the destruction of three of the four Nord Stream 3 gas pipeline routes. He also faces charges of attacking civilian energy infrastructure and causing explosions and destruction.Tags: [DW, suspect, leadership, conspirators, Nord Stream 3, energy infrastructure attack, charges]
The attack caused a record-breaking massive methane leak into the Baltic Sea and rendered infrastructure worth billions of dollars inoperable.Tags: [methane leak, Baltic Sea, infrastructure damage, Nord Stream sabotage]
One month after his arrest, a second Ukrainian suspect was detained near Warsaw, Poland's capital, under another German-issued arrest warrant.Tags: [second suspect, arrest, Warsaw, Poland, German warrant]
Although the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was never operational, the two Nord Stream 1 pipelines had been reliable gas suppliers, spanning over 1,200 kilometers beneath the Baltic Sea from Russia's coast to northeastern Germany.Tags: [Nord Stream 1, Nord Stream 2, pipeline length, gas supply, Baltic Sea]
Shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Germany canceled approval for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, wholly owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom. A few months later, Russia shut down Nord Stream 1 citing equipment problems.Tags: [Russia-Ukraine conflict, Nord Stream 2 cancellation, Gazprom, Nord Stream 1 shutdown]
Then, on 26 Sep 2022, several explosions severely damaged three of the four gas pipeline routes.Tags: [explosions, pipeline damage, Nord Stream, 26 Sep 2022]
The identity of the saboteurs remains unclear; Western nations suspect Russia, while Moscow accuses the U.S. and the U.K. However, no evidence has linked any government or country to these attacks.Tags: [sabotage mystery, Western suspicions, Russia, U.S., U.K., lack of evidence]
Follow international news:Tags: [international news, news source]https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreignTags: [news website, Thairath]
Source:Tags: [source]bbcTags: [BBC, news source]