Prosecutors Charge Ukrainian Suspect in Connection with Nord Stream Explosions

German Federal Prosecutors File Charges Against Ukrainian National Over Pipeline Sabotage

A 50-year-old Ukrainian national, identified as Serhii K, has been charged by German federal prosecutors in connection with a series of explosions that damaged two underwater gas pipelines linking Russia to Europe. The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were severely damaged in September 2022, resulting in the destruction of key routes for Russian gas to be transported to Europe.

According to court documents filed on Wednesday, Serhii K is accused of attacking civilian energy infrastructure, causing an explosion, and destroying structures. He is also suspected of coordinating a team that used a sailing yacht, the Andromeda, to place explosive devices on the pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm Island.

Serhii K was previously arrested in Italy in August 2025 and extradited to Germany in November 2025. At the time of his arrest, German prosecutors confirmed that he had used forged identity documents to charter a yacht, which departed from Rostock to carry out the attacks.

The Ukrainian national’s defence team has stated that Serhii K was a member of the Ukrainian armed forces at the time of the incident and claimed “functional immunity” under international law. However, Ukraine’s government has denied any involvement in the sabotage or knowledge of the plot to bomb the pipelines.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that it was too soon to comment on the charges against Serhii K in detail, as he had not received official details from German authorities.

Source: Al Jazeera