Nord Stream sabotage: suspect arrested in Italy
A Ukrainian national has been arrested in Italy in connection with the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, authorities report.
Gas leak after the sabotage act on Nord Stream in the Baltic Sea
(Image: Schwedische KĂĽstenwache)
Almost three years after the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, a first arrest was made on Thursday night. In the province of Rimini in Italy, a Ukrainian named Serhii K. was taken into custody as a suspect, according to the Federal Public Prosecutor General. The man was wanted on a European arrest warrant. He was apparently discovered by chance during a check, according to Italian media reports. The man had been on vacation with his family on the Adriatic coast.
After a long time, there is now movement in the case again. Serhii K. is said to be part of a group of people who planted explosive devices on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022. The accused is presumably one of the coordinators of the operation, the federal prosecutor's office announced.
Explosions in September 2022
The underwater explosion severely damaged the natural gas connection between Russia and Germany. Russia had already stopped gas deliveries via "Nord Stream 1" due to differences with Western countries over the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. "Nord Stream 2" was never put into operation, but was operational and filled with gas.
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The suspect and his accomplices are said to have used a sailing yacht that departed from Rostock for the transportation. The yacht had previously been rented from a German company via middlemen using forged identity documents. The explosives detonated on September 26, 2022.
What Serhii K. is accused of
K. is accused of jointly causing an explosive device to detonate, anti-constitutional sabotage and the destruction of buildings. He will shortly be brought from Italy to Germany, where he will be brought before the investigating judge of the Federal Court of Justice.
Following the act of sabotage, three countries – Sweden, Denmark and Germany – initially opened investigations. Sweden and Denmark stopped their investigations but supported Germany with their findings.
(mki)
