A Ukrainian man, identified as Serhii K, is on trial in Hamburg, Germany, accused of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The trial began on Wednesday, four years after the explosions that damaged the pipelines on September 26, 2022. Serhii K is alleged to have conspired with other Ukrainian military personnel to destroy the pipelines to hinder Russian funding for its war through gas sales. He denies the charges, as does another suspect, Volodymyr Zhuravlov, who is contesting extradition from Croatia.
The case is sensitive in Germany, a key ally of Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022. German prosecutors have stated that the sabotage constitutes a war crime under their legal framework, as it involved military actions against civilian infrastructure. The investigation initially pointed towards Russia, but German authorities later focused on a group of divers who reportedly rented a yacht linked to the attack.
Despite Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that Ukraine was not involved, German prosecutors allege that the plot was conceived with the involvement of Ukrainian state agencies. The case has sparked differing opinions in Kyiv and Berlin, with some Ukrainian officials questioning the German narrative.
Serhii K was extradited to Germany from Italy in late 2025 after being arrested in Rimini. His legal battle in Italy contrasted with that of Zhuravlov, who was released by a Polish court, which ruled that the actions related to the pipeline were not unlawful. Zhuravlov was later arrested in Croatia on related charges. The ongoing trial and its implications for German-Ukrainian relations remain a point of discussion among officials.