A Ukrainian man has been arrested in Italy amid a growing inquiry into the 2022 destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines situated beneath the Baltic Sea. This arrest, involving a figure identified only as Serhii K, follows months of speculation and investigation regarding who was behind the series of explosions that severely affected Europe’s natural gas supply.
German federal prosecutors report that Serhii K is suspected of orchestrating the attack, working as part of a group that utilized a chartered yacht to navigate from the German port of Rostock to carry out the sabotage against both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. This incident not only represents a significant rupture in energy supply but also underscores the tensions that have intensified since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Nord Stream pipelines, crucial for transporting natural gas from Russia to Germany, were crippled on September 26, 2022, near the Danish island of Bornholm, leading to three out of four pipelines being damaged. Although Nord Stream 2 remained non-operational, Nord Stream 1 had been supplying gas until its cessation by Russia, and Germany had paused the approval process for Nord Stream 2 just before the invasion.
Despite the arrest, Ukrainian officials have adamantly denied any connection to the pipeline blasts, suggesting that responsibility should be contextualized within the ongoing war and broader geopolitical friction in the region. While some German reports in the past suggested a Ukrainian diver team was involved in the operation, both the identity of the perpetrators and the affiliation of the attack remain unclear.
Currently, German authorities have said that Serhii K will be brought before an investigative judge following his extradition from Italy, where he could face charges of sabotage and related offenses. Yet, as of now, there is no conclusive evidence attributing blame for the attacks to any nation-state, including Ukraine or Russia, intensifying the ambiguity surrounding the incident.
