The Nord Stream Sabotage

Luxury yacht, false identities, and deep-sea diving – the Nord Stream trial begins

The trial begins today in Hamburg for the Ukrainian officer suspected of leading the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in the autumn of 2022, according to multiple media reports. A politically sensitive issue is whether or not the act should be classified as a war crime. This could affect Ukraine’s relationship with Germany, the country's largest donor in Europe.

On September 26, 2022, several powerful underwater explosions occurred in the Baltic Sea, tearing apart three of the four Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines. According to German prosecutors, the soldier led a group of six people—also Ukrainians—using false identities aboard the chartered sailboat *Andromeda*. Some of them reportedly dived to a depth of 80 meters and attached time bombs to the gas pipelines.

Prosecutors allege that the operation was carried out on behalf of the Ukrainian state—a claim President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly denied.

Diver "Freya" believed to have attached bombs at a depth of 80 meters

Planting time bombs at a depth of 80 meters is "very difficult and very dangerous." This is according to Peter Bovet Emanuel, a researcher specializing in special operations at the Swedish Defence University, speaking to the Swedish Radio (SR) podcast *Gräns*. According to German prosecutors, a key figure in the Nord Stream operation is the diver known as "Freya." On the day in September 2022 when the bombs were planted, conditions over the Baltic Sea were foggy, rainy, and windy. The currents were strong, and down on the seabed, it was pitch-black and cold. Yet "Freya" convinced another diver to join her in the depths.

Just over an hour later, they were back at the surface. The bombs on the gas pipelines were set with timers; the job was done. As the trial begins in Hamburg today, "Freya" remains at large.

The Nord Stream sabotage was, for all intents and purposes, a "fully successful operation," says Peter Bovet Emanuel.

"Then they were exposed. But essentially... well, you’d have to say so. It was a bold feat," he tells *Gräns*.

Accused Nord Stream saboteur remains silent in court

The leader of the sabotage group believed to have blown up the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea in 2022 appeared in court on Wednesday, according to news agencies.

Former Ukrainian officer Serhij Kuznetsov was arrested in Italy in August and extradited to Germany shortly thereafter. He is accused of committing a war crime by participating in the explosion. Prior to the trial, he had already announced that he does not intend to answer any questions during the proceedings.

Outside the courtroom, protesters demonstrated with placards attempting to shift the focus to Russia. "What is a war crime?" read one, followed by the options: "Blowing up a pipeline, or bombing buildings and murdering people?"