Ukrainian charged by Germany over Nord Stream pipeline blasts
BERLIN,— Germany’s federal prosecutor has formally charged a Ukrainian man over the 2022 blasts that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, moving one of Europe’s most politically sensitive sabotage cases closer to trial.
The indictment against the man, named under German privacy rules only as Serhii K, was served Wednesday, Berlin law firm Menaker, which represents him, told Reuters. The firm gave no details on the charges.
German public broadcaster ARD and newspapers Sueddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit, which first reported the move, said prosecutors charge Serhii K with attacking civilian energy infrastructure, causing an explosion and destroying structures.
Arrest-warrant documents, prior press releases and a December 2025 ruling by the Federal Court of Justice show prosecutors allege Serhii K helped lead a team that used a sailing yacht, the Andromeda, to plant explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm island in September 2022.
Prosecutors and the court believe the Andromeda’s crew included a coordinator, a skipper, four deep-sea divers and an explosives expert.
Serhii K allegedly took charge of coordinating the mission from aboard the vessel, holding command over the team but not serving as a diver or bomb handler. He has denied any involvement.
The blasts, which Russia and Western countries have both described as sabotage, cut key routes for Russian gas into Europe months after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, deepening an energy crisis that hit Germany especially hard.
German courts hold jurisdiction because the pipelines end at Lubmin in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and their destruction affected Germany’s energy security and internal safety.
Court records describe Serhii K as a Ukrainian national who served as an officer in a Ukrainian special forces unit at the time.
He was arrested in Italy last August and transferred to Germany in November, where a judge activated a German arrest warrant.
(With files from Reuters)
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