Italian police have arrested a Ukrainian man named Serhii K, suspected of coordinating the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022. The explosions left gas billowing from the two major conduits that transported Russian gas to Europe, prompting a massive operation to find those responsible.
The origin of the blasts has been a subject of intense speculation and further fueled political tensions in Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Despite neither pipeline being actively transporting gas at the time of the leaks, they still held gas under pressure, with both Ukraine and Russia denying any involvement.
German authorities announced the arrest, stating that Serhii K belongs to a group that planted explosive devices on the pipelines near Bornholm Island. The suspect will be extradited to Germany, where he will face justice alongside another Ukrainian man suspected of causing damage to the pipelines.
Investigations revealed that the crew used a rented sailing yacht to carry out the attack, traveling from the port of Rostock and using forged identity documents. Denmark and Sweden also investigated the incident but closed their inquiries in 2024, leaving Germany as the sole country pursuing the case.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/21/europe/nordstream-germany-italy-arrest-intl