Trial Begins in Germany Over Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage

On October 14, the first trial over the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, which occurred in September 2022, began in Germany. The defendant is Serhii Kuznetsov, a 50-year-old former Ukrainian military officer identified by prosecutors as the leader of the group that allegedly planted the explosives. His defense, led by attorney Nicola Canestrini, requested that the case be dismissed, arguing that the infrastructure of an aggressor country could be considered a legitimate target.

According to the indictment, Kuznetsov led a group made up of divers, a vessel captain and an explosives expert, who chartered the sailing yacht Andromeda in Rostock, Germany, using false documentation. Aboard that vessel, they reached an area near the Danish island of Bornholm, where they allegedly placed military-grade explosives fitted with timers on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. The detonations, on September 26, 2022, ruptured three of the four pipeline strings and caused major gas leaks into the Baltic Sea.

German prosecutors contend that the events constitute a war crime, as they involved an attack on civil infrastructure that caused explosions, destruction of infrastructure and disruption of public services. Prosecutor Stefan Schmidt stated on the first day of the trial that Kuznetsov had a mandate and authorization from the Ukrainian government to lead the operation.

Kuznetsov, who was arrested in Italy and later extradited to Germany, exercised his right to remain silent during the first hearing and denied involvement in the events. His lawyers argued that he cannot mount an adequate defense because he is bound to protect Ukrainian state secrets, and that they had tried unsuccessfully to obtain information from Ukraine for his case. Canestrini added that the Italian extradition order only authorized a sabotage charge, not a war crime charge, and he questioned the lack of direct evidence—such as fingerprints or DNA—placing his client aboard the sailing yacht.

Ukraine has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attack, while Russia also denies having carried it out and accuses Western countries of involvement. German authorities are also pursuing another investigation: a second suspect, identified as one of the divers, was arrested in Croatia in August. In Germany, the trial also had political repercussions, as the Alternative for Germany party introduced a motion in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament calling for an end to support for Ukraine, timed to coincide with the start of the proceedings.