A former Ukrainian military officer has gone on trial in Germany, accused of orchestrating the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions that disrupted a major route for Russian gas supplies to Europe.
The defendant, identified only as Serhii K. under German privacy laws, is accused of leading a group of Ukrainian operatives, including divers and an explosives expert, in the sabotage operation. He has denied any involvement.
Prosecutors say the group acted on behalf of unidentified Ukrainian state entities to cut off a major source of Russian revenue following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier that year. The Ukrainian government has denied any involvement.
According to prosecutors, Serhii K. travelled from Poland to Germany using a forged Ukrainian passport around three weeks before the explosions. His group then allegedly chartered a yacht in the German port of Rostock and sailed towardsthe Danish island of Bornholm.
The group allegedly planted military-grade explosives fitted with timers on the seabed. German media outlets Der Spiegel and ZDF reported that five men and a woman were aboard the yacht Andromeda, which departed Rostock on 6 September and returned on 23 September.
Swedish seismologists detected multiple explosions around 17 hours apart on 26 September 2022. The blasts ruptured three of the four Nord Stream pipelines, located between 80 and 110 metres beneath the Baltic Sea, releasing huge plumes of methane into the atmosphere.
Nord Stream 1 had accounted for half of Germany's gas imports, while its twin, Nord Stream 2, had been completed but never became operational after Berlin suspended its approval shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Russia had already reduced gas supplies amid tensions over Western sanctions.
Serhii K. was arrested in August 2025 while on holiday in Italy before being extradited to Germany. German broadcaster ARD reported that investigators had identified seven suspects, including one who later died fighting against Russia.
The court has scheduled 16 hearings through 17 December, with additional sessions planned for January and February.
Russia said on Monday that it expected a “just verdict” identifying both those responsible for carrying out the attack and those who ordered it.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the U.S. must act to prevent war after Tehran sent a “strong and rational response&r...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington will end its annual financial and military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, under an agreement he clai...
A new book examining Azerbaijan’s military strategy, technology and operations during the Garabagh wars has been unveiled in Baku, offering i...
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the U.S. must act to prevent war after Tehran sent a “strong and rational response” to Washington. Meanwhile, U.S. forces have reportedly carried out limited strikes against Iranian targets, including Qeshm Island,
Hundreds of millions of U.S. citizens head to the polls on 3 November to elect the House of Representatives and Senate. How they vote could influence the direction of Donald Trump’s remaining 26 months in office and the outcomes of the Ukraine and Iran conflicts.
A six-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Russian-held Ukrainian town of Oleshky ended on Sunday, 1 November, after facilitating aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
Kyrgyzstan has emerged as Central Asia’s fastest-growing economy, fuelled by a construction boom, public investment and trade linked to Russia. But with Western sanctions tightening, can the country sustain its rapid growth?
Russia airstrikes on a school used as a humanitarian aid distribution point in southeastern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region killed at least 26 people, including rescue workers and police officers, Ukrainian officials said. Another 27 people were reported missing.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington will end its annual financial and military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, under an agreement he claims to have reached with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine's negotiators will meet with Russian and U.S. delegations in Abu Dhabi next week for the first peace talks mediated by Washington since February.
Spanish police are investigating the death of Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel, who died after a collision with an opposing goalkeeper during a second-division football match. The case raises questions about when an on-field challenge can become a criminal offence.
Energy companies at ADIPEC 2026 are seeking to boost oil and gas supplies, attract investment and harness artificial intelligence as conflict in the Middle East disrupts global energy markets and keeps oil prices above $100 a barrel.
French high school students returned to protests on Monday, but demonstrations were far smaller than those seen before the two-week school break. Attempts to blockade schools were reported in several cities, including Paris, Marseille and Rennes.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment