Ukrainian ex-officer goes on trial in Germany over Nord Stream blasts

What the report says

A former Ukrainian military officer identified by German privacy rules as Serhii K. has gone on trial in Hamburg over the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blasts, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Prosecutors allege he helped organize a covert operation that damaged the gas links in the Baltic Sea, while he denies involvement. The case began at the Hamburg Higher Regional Court and is expected to continue until February, making it the first public hearing of evidence in a long-running investigation.

German authorities say Serhii K. worked with other Ukrainian personnel, including divers and an explosives specialist, to plan the attack on behalf of unnamed Ukrainian state bodies. They allege he entered Germany via Poland using a false passport and later used a sailboat rented in Rostock to reach the area near Denmark’s Bornholm island, where explosive charges were placed on the pipelines. Prosecutors argue the targeting of civilian infrastructure could amount to a war crime.

The Nord Stream explosions in September 2022 ruptured three of the four pipeline sections and released large amounts of methane. Nord Stream 1 had been a major source of gas for Germany, while Nord Stream 2 had never opened after Berlin halted approval shortly before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine denies any role in the sabotage, and Russia has also rejected blame. The case remains politically sensitive because it could affect Germany’s position toward Kyiv, even as Berlin continues to be one of Ukraine’s key supporters.