Germany has arrested a Ukrainian national, identified as Serhii K., who is believed to have coordinated the 2022 undersea bombing of two gas pipelines that linked Russia to Germany. The suspect was apprehended by Italian police on Thursday in a small seaside resort on Italy’s east coast.
The arrest marks an impressive investigative success for German authorities, who had initially struggled to identify those responsible for the sabotage attack. Western investigators and intelligence officials later concluded that the attack was carried out by a pro-Ukrainian group, citing evidence of the suspect’s involvement in planning and coordinating the operation.
According to prosecutors, K. coordinated the bombing of Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines from Italy, using a shell company and fake identity papers to charter a sailboat. The crew then planted explosives on the undersea pipelines, which led to massive underground explosions that damaged three of the four pipes.
The German government had refused to use the completed Nord Stream 2 pipeline before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, fearing it would be used to exert influence over Western Europe. Russia cut off gas flowing through Nord Stream 1 as a response, sparking widespread speculation about who was behind the attack.
German prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for another Ukrainian suspect last year, but he escaped Poland before being caught. The current arrest brings new hope to investigators and raises questions about Ukraine’s involvement in the sabotage. The Ukrainian government has denied any involvement in the attack.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/21/world/europe/nord-stream-pipeline-attacks-arrest.html