A Ukrainian man has been taken into custody in Italy on suspicion of being involved in the blast damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea, as disclosed by German prosecutors. The individual, identified as Serhii K, was apprehended in the Rimini region, where authorities allege he was part of a group that orchestrated the explosive attacks on both the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, linking Russia to Germany.
Reports indicate that Serhii K is considered a key figure in the operation that involved renting a yacht and navigating from the German coastal city of Rostock to execute the sabotage. While the pipelines have been crucial for European gas supplies, Ukraine has refuted any involvement in the explosions that occurred on September 26, 2022, which resulted in significant damage to three of the four pipelines.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was never operational due to a halt in the approval process by Germany just prior to Russia's military incursion into Ukraine. Following this, Russia also discontinued its operations on Nord Stream 1. The explosions raised questions about the parties involved, leading to suspicions around a crew of Ukrainian divers allegedly working with a German yacht to target the pipelines.
In light of these developments, German authorities had issued a warrant for another suspect, the diver named Volodymyr Z, in August of the previous year. The prosecutors assert that Serhii K will be presented to an investigating judge following his extradition from Italy, with charges including participation in an explosion and sabotage against the constitution.
To date, there is no conclusive evidence connecting any state, including Ukraine or Russia, to the attacks on the pipelines, leaving a cloud of intrigue surrounding the motivations and origin of the sabotage.
