Nord Stream trial: Did Ukraine order Europe’s biggest energy attack?

Germany has begun its first criminal trial over the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, with a former Ukrainian military officer facing charges of war crimes and destruction of civilian infrastructure. The case, which opened on October 14 at Hamburg’s Hanseatic Higher Regional Court, centers on the September 26 explosions that ruptured three of the four pipeline strings in the Baltic Sea.

Prosecutors accuse 50-year-old Serhii Kuznietsov, a veteran of Ukraine’s Security Service, of leading a team that allegedly placed explosives on the pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm island. The indictment claims the operation was carried out using the sailing yacht Andromeda, rented in Rostock with false documentation, and involved specialized explosives fitted with timers.

The attack targeted Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, pipelines designed to transport Russian gas directly to Germany. While Nord Stream 1 had a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters annually, Russia had already halted gas flows before the blasts. Nord Stream 2, completed in 2021, never entered commercial operation after Germany suspended its certification following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The legal dispute over civilian vs. military targets: Nord Stream

At the heart of the trial is whether the Nord Stream pipelines qualified as civilian infrastructure or a legitimate military target. German prosecutors argue the attack violated international law, as the pipelines supplied energy to European households. They allege Kuznietsov and his team acted on orders from Ukrainian state agencies, with the goal of cutting off Russia’s gas revenue to weaken its war effort.

Kuznietsov, arrested in Italy in August 2025 while vacationing with his family, denies the charges. His defense team, led by lawyer Jes Meyer-Lohkamp, has sought to dismiss the case, citing insufficient evidence. The trial’s opening session lasted two hours under tight security, with Kuznietsov declining to testify. Outside the courthouse, pro-Ukrainian protesters gathered in his support.

Investigators have also arrested a second suspect in Croatia, believed to be one of the divers involved in placing the explosives. The case remains politically charged, with responsibility for the attack still disputed. Russia has rejected allegations of involvement, while Ukraine has denied any connection to the sabotage.

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