The blasts, which occurred three years ago on September 26, caused severe damage to the pipelines that were built to transport Russian natural gas to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The sabotage came at a time of heightened geopolitical tension, as European nations were attempting to reduce dependence on Russian energy following the Ukraine war
According to prosecutors, the accused was part of a group that planted explosives on the pipelines. Representational pic
A Ukrainian citizen, suspected to be among the key coordinators behind the 2022 undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany, has been arrested in Italy, German federal prosecutors informed on Thursday.
The accused, Serhii K, was apprehended overnight by police in Misano Adriatico, a town near the Italian city of Rimini, officials said.
The blasts, which occurred three years ago on September 26, caused severe damage to the pipelines that were built to transport Russian natural gas to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The sabotage came at a time of heightened geopolitical tension, as European nations were attempting to reduce dependence on Russian energy following the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
German authorities have so far maintained a tight-lipped approach to the ongoing probe. However, two years ago, traces of underwater explosives were detected in samples taken from a yacht that was searched as part of the probe.
According to AP, prosecutors said Serhii K was part of a group that planted explosives on the pipelines, and is believed to have played a coordinating role in the operation. He is suspected of causing explosions, engaging in anti-constitutional sabotage, and wilfully destroying essential infrastructure.
The investigators said the suspect and his associates used a yacht that departed from the German port city of Rostock. The vessel had been hired from a German company using forged identification documents and intermediaries.
However, prosecutors did not disclose details about the other individuals aboard the yacht, nor did they reveal who else might have been involved in the larger plot to sabotage the pipelines, reported AP.
The attacks ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which had been Russia’s primary gas supply route to Germany until Moscow shut off supplies in late August 2022. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was also damaged, though it had never been brought into service—Germany had halted its certification shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine in February of that year.
Russia has accused the United States of orchestrating the blasts—an allegation strongly denied by Washington. The Nord Stream pipelines had long faced criticism from the US and its allies, who warned they increased Europe's energy dependence on Russia.
In 2023, reports in the German media suggested that a pro-Ukraine group may have been responsible for the sabotage. Kyiv, however, has categorically denied any involvement, and German authorities have treated the matter cautiously.
It is yet to be confirmed when Serhii K will be extradited to Germany, reported AP.
(With AP inputs)
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