Ukrainian special forces officer goes on trial in Hamburg over Nord Stream pipeline blasts
The Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea, wrecked by explosions in September 2022, with Serhii Kuznetsov accused of masterminding the attack using divers who planted up to 27kg of military explosives.Serhii Kuznetsov, the Ukrainian special forces officer on trial over the Baltic Sea blasts, faces a war crimes charge because German prosecutors classify the Nord Stream pipelines as civilian infrastructure.
Serhii Kuznetsov, a 50-year-old Ukrainian special forces officer and father of four, faces trial at Hamburg's Hanseatic Higher Regional Court accused of masterminding the September 2022 explosions that wrecked the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea. Prosecutors allege he led a seven-strong team that used forged IDs to hire a German yacht, the Andromeda, with four divers planting up to 27kg of high-grade military explosives 80 metres beneath the sea near Bornholm. Both Kuznetsov and Ukraine deny any involvement, and he is the first suspect to face trial over what is considered Europe's biggest act of sabotage since World War Two.
Investigators found traces of military explosives on the Andromeda and reportedly DNA material left by a team member on board.
Kuznetsov faces a war crimes charge because German prosecutors classify the Nord Stream pipelines as civilian rather than military infrastructure.
A second suspect is fighting extradition from Croatia, while Sweden and Denmark both shut their own inquiries before Germany pressed ahead alone.
