Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday (3 July) that the European Union should take into account allegations of Ukrainian involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream sabotage when considering Kyiv’s bid for membership.
Peskov made the remarks after German federal prosecutors charged a former Ukrainian army officer in connection with the underwater explosions that damaged the pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
"This is highly significant and, naturally, all EU countries must take this case into account when discussing the prospects of Ukraine’s EU membership, closer ties with the EU, and so forth," Peskov told media representatives.
German prosecutors allege the suspect, identified only as Serhii K., acted as a co-perpetrator on behalf of Ukrainian state entities and described the operation as a war crime.
According to prosecutors, Serhii K. and six alleged accomplices, all serving members of the Ukrainian military, acted “on the orders of state authorities in Ukraine” with the aim of permanently cutting off Russian gas supplies to Europe and reducing Moscow’s war revenues.
Investigators say the group travelled from Ukraine to Germany using forged passports before renting the yacht Andromeda in the port city of Rostock.
Prosecutors said traces of the military-grade explosives HMX and RDX were later found on board. The explosives were allegedly attached to the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm before being detonated on 26 September 2022.
The pipelines were not operational at the time, but the explosions caused significant damage to critical energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian authorities said on Thursday they did not yet have enough information to respond in detail to the German allegations.
Serhii K., who was extradited from Italy following his arrest in 2025, has denied any involvement. His lawyer told Reuters he expects his client to be acquitted.
The case could prove diplomatically sensitive for Germany, one of Ukraine’s largest military backers, given Berlin’s heavy pre-war reliance on Russian gas supplied through the Nord Stream network.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the Pentagon says the war’s cost reach $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
U.S. strikes on Iran entered a 12th consecutive night, while Yemen's Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, urging President Donald Trump to warn Tehran it would be held responsible for any future Houthi attacks.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed regional developments, transport connectivity, energy cooperation and the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process during talks in Berlin.
Channel Tunnel operator Getlink has warned that the biometric element of the European Union's new digital border security system for car passengers using the tunnel could be delayed because of software issues.
One soldier was killed and four others were injured after a UH-1Y Venom military helicopter crashed at the Czech Army's 22nd Air Base in Náměšť nad Oslavou, around 180 kilometres southeast of Prague, the Armed Forces said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has renewed the Trump administration's campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the Hague-based tribunal of threatening U.S. sovereignty and pledging further diplomatic action over its investigations.
The European Union (EU) has agreed on a 21st package of sanctions against Russia, after shelving some proposed measures to appease member states, most notably Greece.
Greece’s security council, KYSEA, is expected to give final approval on Thursday for the purchase of a multi-layered air defence system from Israel worth up to €3.5 billion ($4 billion), along with several types of drones, according to two sources who spoke to Reuters.
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