Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
A Ukrainian national suspected of coordinating the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines has been arrested in Italy, German prosecutors confirmed this week. The suspect, identified as Sergei K., was detained on August 21, 2025, under a European arrest warrant issued by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice.
According to a statement from the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Sergei K. is accused of participating in the planning and execution of a covert operation that severely damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which transport natural gas from Russia to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea.
The charges include complicity in unconstitutional sabotage, destruction of critical infrastructure, and coordination of a clandestine operation using falsified documents and rented maritime equipment. Authorities believe Sergei K. was part of a team that deployed explosive devices near the Danish island of Bornholm, leading to underwater explosions on September 26, 2022.
Investigators say the group used a sailing yacht, rented under forged identities, to transport the explosives from the German port city of Rostock. The vessel reportedly sailed through the Baltic Sea in the days leading up to the blasts, which rendered the pipelines inoperative and sparked international outrage.
Once extradited from Italy, Sergei K. is expected to appear before a judge in Germany, where prosecutors will present further evidence in the high-profile case.
The destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines marked one of the most dramatic acts of sabotage against European energy infrastructure in recent memory. At the time, both pipelines were central components of Russia’s gas supply routes to Europe, although Nord Stream 2 had not yet been officially launched amid geopolitical tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has consistently labeled the explosions as an act of international terrorism and has called for independent international investigations. Despite extensive inquiries conducted by Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, no final conclusions have been publicly released.
The case has been surrounded by competing narratives and speculation. In February 2023, renowned American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published a report alleging that the United States, with assistance from Norway, orchestrated the sabotage as part of a covert military operation. The Biden administration has firmly denied the accusation, calling the report unfounded and lacking credible evidence.
European officials have largely refrained from assigning blame publicly, though suspicions have pointed in multiple directions, including state and non-state actors. The arrest of Sergei K. marks the first major development in the case in over a year and could offer new insights into the operation and the individuals or entities behind it.
As the extradition process unfolds, German authorities are expected to intensify their investigation, with wider implications for European security and energy policy, particularly as tensions remain high between Russia and the West.
