Serhii Kuznetsov, a former Ukrainian special forces officer, is on trial in Hamburg for his alleged role in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022. The explosions, which took place under the Baltic Sea, damaged the pipelines connecting Russia to Germany and severed Western Europe from its largest source of Russian natural gas.
Prosecutors accuse Kuznetsov of being one of the masterminds of the operation and charge him with committing war crimes. The accusations include attacking civilian infrastructure, causing explosions, damaging property, and disrupting public services. Kuznetsov has denied involvement in the blasts, while his lawyers argue that the pipelines were a military target and that their client is sworn to secrecy.
The trial follows an investigation by German authorities who identified a cell of Ukrainians as the alleged perpetrators, contrasting with earlier Western suspicions that Russia had sabotaged its own export route. The proceedings are expected to run into February and could test Germany's political stance and alliance with Kyiv by raising questions about Ukraine's possible role in the explosions.