Italy arrests Ukrainian suspect in 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blasts
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German prosecutors allege Serhii K. helped plant explosives near Denmark’s Bornholm island using a rented yacht and forged documents before the Nord Stream blasts.
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In this picture provided by the Swedish Coast Guard, a leak from Nord Stream 2 is seen on September 28, 2022. (Swedish Coast Guard via AP)
Italian authorities have detained a Ukrainian national accused of coordinating the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline attacks, Germany's federal prosecutor announced on Thursday. The suspect will be extradited to Germany to appear before a judge.
The September 2022 explosions, widely regarded by both Russia and Western governments as deliberate sabotage, severely damaged key pipelines transporting Russian gas to Europe. The incident marked a sharp escalation in the Ukraine war and deepened Europe’s energy crisis. No group or state has officially claimed responsibility.
As the investigation continues, Moscow has vowed to formally insist on a transparent international inquiry into the bombings, with Lavrov emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in uncovering the truth.
Nord Stream 1 had been the primary route for Russian natural gas to Germany, while Nord Stream 2 had been completed but was not yet operational at the time of the explosions, coinciding with increased political tensions between Berlin and Moscow following the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. By the time of the explosions, Russia had already halted much of its gas exports to Germany.
Details of the operation
Prosecutors identified the suspect as Serhii K., in accordance with German privacy laws, alleging his involvement in planting explosive devices near Denmark’s Bornholm island.
The statement said the team launched the operation from Rostock, on Germany's northeastern coast, using a sailing yacht rented from a German firm through intermediaries and forged documents.
The suspect faces charges of conspiring to commit an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage, and property destruction.
Carabinieri officers apprehended him overnight in Italy’s Rimini province, along the Adriatic coast, acting on a European arrest warrant.
It is worth noting that German prosecutors confirmed the arrest, while Italian police declined immediate comment.
Read next: Sweden announces end of Nord Stream probe for insufficient evidence
