The arrest warrant issued last week by a German court for Ukrainian Serhii Kuznietsov may have confirmed what was suspected for long: that Ukraine was responsible for the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in the waters near Denmark and Sweden.&nbsp;Undersea explosions on Sept. 26, 2022, damaged pipelines that were built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The damage spiked tensions as European countries moved to wean themselves off Russian energy sources since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Kuznietsov has denied involvement in the explosions, saying he was in Ukraine at the time of the blasts and was serving as an army captain. He arrived in Germany after Italy’s highest court approved his extradition on Nov. 19 after he was detained on a European arrest warrant three months earlier at a campground near the Adriatic coastal city of Rimini, Italy, where he was vacationing with his family.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-working-on-fta-moving-towards-mutual-settlements-in-national-currencies-says-putin-1764931650076">‘Working on FTA, moving towards mutual settlements in national currencies,’ says Putin</a><h2>Nord Stream attack is military action: Polish court&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;In October, a Polish court blocked the extradition to Germany of another Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the 2022 attack on the gas pipelines and ordered his release. The Polish judge said the attack on the pipelines should be seen as a military action in a “just war,” and therefore not subject to criminal responsibility on the part of an individual.&nbsp;The Italian court that ordered the extradition of Kuznietsov did not take this argument.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-putin-s-aircraft-was-world-s-most-tracked-plane-en-route-india-1764861903043">Russian President Putin’s aircraft was world’s most-tracked plane en route India</a><h2>Trial may uncover several untold truths</h2>&nbsp;Some reports in the media had claimed that the Biden administration was given prior warning by a Ukrainian whistleblower, who said that a six-person team of Ukrainian special forces was planning to rent a boat, dive to the sea floor and blow up the Nord Stream project. The operation was reportedly led by Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces.After the attack, the media fuelled speculation that Russia had destroyed its own pipeline, another claim of a Russian false-flag operation.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-radical-islam-poses-a-grave-threat-to-the-us-and-the-entire-world-marco-rubio-1764786437365">‘Radical Islam poses grave threat to the US and entire world’: Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;However, since the attack involved leasing a yacht in the German port of Rostock, using forged IDs, and a screen of intermediaries, it could not have been a simple operation devised and carried out by a few and hinted at the involvement of a bigger authority, like a state. Kuznietsov insists that he was an army captain serving in Ukraine at the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some reports in the media had claimed that the Biden administration was given prior warning by a Ukrainian whistleblower, who said that a six-person team of Ukrainian special forces was planning to rent a boat, dive to the sea floor and blow up the Nord Stream project.

The arrest warrant issued last week by a German court for Ukrainian Serhii Kuznietsov may have confirmed what was suspected for long: that Ukraine was responsible for the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in the waters near Denmark and Sweden. Undersea explosions on Sept. 26, 2022, damaged pipelines that were built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The damage spiked tensions as European countries moved to wean themselves off Russian energy sources since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kuznietsov has denied involvement in the explosions, saying he was in Ukraine at the time of the blasts and was serving as an army captain. He arrived in Germany after Italy’s highest court approved his extradition on Nov. 19 after he was detained on a European arrest warrant three months earlier at a campground near the Adriatic coastal city of Rimini, Italy, where he was vacationing with his family. Also Read: ‘Working on FTA, moving towards mutual settlements in national currencies,’ says Putin Nord Stream attack is military action: Polish court In October, a Polish court blocked the extradition to Germany of another Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the 2022 attack on the gas pipelines and ordered his release. The Polish judge said the attack on the pipelines should be seen as a military action in a “just war,” and therefore not subject to criminal responsibility on the part of an individual. The Italian court that ordered the extradition of Kuznietsov did not take this argument. Also Read: Russian President Putin’s aircraft was world’s most-tracked plane en route India Trial may uncover several untold truths Some reports in the media had claimed that the Biden administration was given prior warning by a Ukrainian whistleblower, who said that a six-person team of Ukrainian special forces was planning to rent a boat, dive to the sea floor and blow up the Nord Stream project. The operation was reportedly led by Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces. After the attack, the media fuelled speculation that Russia had destroyed its own pipeline, another claim of a Russian false-flag operation. Also Read: ‘Radical Islam poses grave threat to the US and entire world’: Marco Rubio However, since the attack involved leasing a yacht in the German port of Rostock, using forged IDs, and a screen of intermediaries, it could not have been a simple operation devised and carried out by a few and hinted at the involvement of a bigger authority, like a state. Kuznietsov insists that he was an army captain serving in Ukraine at the time.

Some reports in the media had claimed that the Biden administration was given prior warning by a Ukrainian whistleblower, who said that a six-person team of Ukrainian special forces was planning to rent a boat, dive to the sea floor, and blow up the Nord Stream project.

German court’s arrest warrant for Ukrainian in Nord Stream sabotage case bares half-truths

Italian police have detained a Ukrainian man suspected of playing a central role in the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, German prosecutors confirmed. The blasts, which happened nearly three years ago, tore through Nord Stream 1 and 2 – major pipelines built to carry Russian gas into Europe. At the time, the explosions sent gas bubbling into the Baltic Sea and triggered an international hunt to find who was behind the attack.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-russia-relations-most-stable-after-wwii-jaishankar-meets-russian-fm-lavrov-amid-looming-trump-tariff-threats-1755772712027">India-Russia relations 'most stable': Jaishankar meets Lavrov in Moscow</a><h2>What happened to the Nord Stream pipelines?</h2>The September 2022 explosions badly damaged both pipelines near Bornholm Island in Denmark. Though neither was actively supplying gas to Europe at the time, they still contained gas under pressure, making the damage a symbolic and strategic escalation in the Ukraine war. Seen as sabotage by both Russia and the West, the incident deepened Europe’s energy crisis and fuelled political tensions across the continent. Yet until now, no one had ever been officially held responsible.<h2>Who is the suspect?</h2>The arrested man has been named only as Serhii K, in line with German privacy laws. Prosecutors say he was part of a team that planted explosives on the pipelines. Investigators believe the group set sail from Rostock, a port city in north-eastern Germany, using a yacht rented from a German company. The rental was reportedly arranged with forged documents and middlemen to conceal their identities. The suspect is expected to be transferred to Germany and brought before a judge.<h2>Why does this matter now?</h2>The Nord Stream blasts have long been a mystery, with competing narratives from Moscow, Kyiv and Western capitals about who stood to benefit. The arrest marks the first significant breakthrough in linking an individual directly to the sabotage. For Europe, the case goes beyond accountability. The destruction of Nord Stream highlighted the fragility of critical infrastructure and the geopolitical stakes of the war in Ukraine.

Italian police arrested a Ukrainian man suspected of helping blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022. The explosions damaged the pipelines and marked a major escalation the Ukraine war.

Italian police have detained a Ukrainian man suspected of playing a central role in the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, German prosecutors confirmed. The blasts, which happened nearly three years ago, tore through Nord Stream 1 and 2 – major pipelines built to carry Russian gas into Europe. At the time, the explosions sent gas bubbling into the Baltic Sea and triggered an international hunt to find who was behind the attack. Also read: India-Russia relations 'most stable': Jaishankar meets Lavrov in Moscow What happened to the Nord Stream pipelines? The September 2022 explosions badly damaged both pipelines near Bornholm Island in Denmark. Though neither was actively supplying gas to Europe at the time, they still contained gas under pressure, making the damage a symbolic and strategic escalation in the Ukraine war. Seen as sabotage by both Russia and the West, the incident deepened Europe’s energy crisis and fuelled political tensions across the continent. Yet until now, no one had ever been officially held responsible. Who is the suspect? The arrested man has been named only as Serhii K, in line with German privacy laws. Prosecutors say he was part of a team that planted explosives on the pipelines. Investigators believe the group set sail from Rostock, a port city in north-eastern Germany, using a yacht rented from a German company. The rental was reportedly arranged with forged documents and middlemen to conceal their identities. The suspect is expected to be transferred to Germany and brought before a judge. Why does this matter now? The Nord Stream blasts have long been a mystery, with competing narratives from Moscow, Kyiv and Western capitals about who stood to benefit. The arrest marks the first significant breakthrough in linking an individual directly to the sabotage. For Europe, the case goes beyond accountability. The destruction of Nord Stream highlighted the fragility of critical infrastructure and the geopolitical stakes of the war in Ukraine.

Italian police arrested a Ukrainian man suspected of helping blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022. The explosions damaged the pipelines and marked a major escalation the Ukraine war.

Not Russian or Western sabotage? Ukrainian man arrested in Italy over Nord Stream pipeline blasts

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German court’s arrest warrant for Ukrainian in Nord Stream sabotage case bares half-truths

Not Russian sabotage? Ukrainian man arrested over Nord Stream pipeline blasts