Former Ukrainian officer faces trial in Germany over Nord Stream explosions
German prosecutors accuse a suspect identified as Serhii of attacking the Nord Stream pipelines; he was arrested in Italy in August 2025.
An ex-member of the Ukrainian armed forces is standing trial this week in Germany over the September 2022 explosions that damaged undersea sections of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany.
Charges and procedural history
German prosecutors have charged the defendant, identified as Serhii, with causing explosions, property damage, disruption of public services and complicity in war crimes through attack on civilian infrastructure. He was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and extradited to Germany in November 2025.
The blasts damaged both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2; the latter was never put into operation. The proceedings in Germany focus on proving who carried out the sabotage and establishing criminal responsibility for the damage to international energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected suggestions that Kyiv was behind the attacks. The German government so far has declined to comment publicly on the merits of the case, stressing that it is in the hands of an independent judiciary.
The trial is likely to include forensic evidence about the explosions and testimony about movements and contacts linked to the suspect. Observers say the case has geopolitical significance because the Nord Stream pipes are central to European debates over energy security and relations with Russia.
Courts in Germany will now consider the prosecutors' case and any defence response; the outcome may influence how future cross-border attacks on critical infrastructure are investigated and prosecuted.
Photo: press material from the event
