New details emerge on Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream sabotage
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German prosecutors identified the Nord Stream suspect as Ukrainian ex-captain Serhii K., alleging he planted explosives near Bornholm island using a rented yacht and forged documents before his arrest in Italy.
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In this picture provided by Swedish Coast Guard, the gas leak in the Baltic Sea from Nord Stream photographed from the Coast Guard's aircraft on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2022 (AP)
German prosecutors have released new information identifying the Ukrainian citizen detained in Italy on suspicion of coordinating the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blasts.
The suspect, named Serhii K., is described as a retired captain of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with prior service in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). According to investigators, he was directly involved in planting explosive charges that destroyed sections of Nord Stream 1 and 2 in September 2022.
Prosecutors allege that Serhii K. and his team launched the sabotage operation from the German port of Rostock, using a sailing yacht rented under forged documents. The explosives were reportedly placed near Denmark’s Bornholm island, a central location in the Baltic Sea pipelines. He now faces charges of conspiracy to commit an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage, and property destruction.
Italian authorities arrested Serhii K. earlier this week in Rimini province, acting on a European arrest warrant. He is expected to be extradited to Germany to face trial.
The revelations build on earlier reports linking the suspect to an elite Ukrainian unit that operated on behalf of Kiev in 2022. Investigators believe he and other servicemen were recruited in May of that year to execute sabotage operations against the pipelines, which had been a critical energy lifeline from Russia to Europe.
The Nord Stream explosions marked a dramatic escalation in Europe’s energy crisis, destroying a major route for Russian gas and fueling political tensions between Moscow and Western capitals. Russia has renewed calls for an international inquiry, arguing that the latest developments underscore the need for full accountability.
Read more: US investors back plan to activate Russia’s Nord Stream 2: FT
