Ukrainian Suspect Arrested in Italy for Nord Stream Pipeline Blasts

German prosecutors announced the arrest of a Ukrainian citizen, identified only as Serhii K. due to privacy laws, in connection with the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions. The suspect was detained overnight by Italian police in Misano Adriatico, near Rimini, on a European arrest warrant issued by Germany. He is believed to be a key coordinator of the undersea sabotage that disrupted critical gas infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

The explosions on September 26, 2022, ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, Russia’s primary natural gas conduit to Germany until Moscow halted supplies in August 2022, and damaged Nord Stream 2, which never became operational after Germany suspended its certification amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The attacks heightened geopolitical tensions, as European nations sought to reduce reliance on Russian energy following the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine.

Prosecutors revealed that Serhii K. was part of a group that used a yacht, rented from a German company in Rostock using forged IDs, to plant explosives near the German island of Bornholm. Traces of undersea explosives found on the yacht in 2023 bolstered the investigation, though details have remained scarce. The suspect faces charges of causing explosions, anti-constitutional sabotage, and destruction of structures.

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German media previously suggested a pro-Ukraine group’s involvement, a claim Ukraine denied, with German officials urging caution. Russia has accused the U.S. of orchestrating the blasts, a charge Washington refutes, citing the pipelines’ role in Europe’s energy security risks. No evidence conclusively links any state to the attack, and prosecutors have not disclosed details about other individuals involved or potential motives.

The arrest follows a 2024 European arrest warrant for another Ukrainian suspect, Volodymyr Z., a diving instructor, who evaded capture in Poland and fled to Ukraine. Serhii K. is expected to face an investigating judge upon extradition to Germany, though no timeline was provided.

The Nord Stream sabotage remains a focal point of international scrutiny, with investigators piecing together a complex operation that disrupted a critical energy link. As the case progresses, it continues to fuel debates over energy security and geopolitical rivalries in the region.

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