Nord Stream and the Polish trail: what could change the testimony of the main suspect in the gas pipeline explosions case?
25 September 2025 20:20
The German investigation into the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions is entering a new high-profile phase. The main suspect, Ukrainian Serhiy K., who was detained in Italy, may soon appear before a German court. His testimony may shed light not only on the role of the Ukrainian group, but also on the possible involvement of Poland. This was reported by Rzeczpospolita, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Particular attention is drawn to the statement of Polish sources: Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski allegedly discussed the possibility of granting asylum to another suspect, Vladimir Zh.
What happened in 2022
on September 26, 2022, explosions occurred in the waters of the Baltic Sea, near the Danish island of Bornholm, damaging three of the four lines of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
- russia had already cut off gas supplies a month earlier.
- The attack had enormous geopolitical significance: Europe was losing an instrument of Kremlin pressure, and Germany’s dependence on Russian gas became a critical topic.
- At first, suspicions fell on Russia, but later a group of seven Ukrainians came into focus.
The Polish dimension of the investigation
According to the German media, Poland allegedly helped Vladimir Zh., one of the participants in the operation, avoid arrest. He lived in a Warsaw suburb and disappeared after Germany issued a European arrest warrant for him.
- According to Der Spiegel, the Ukrainian could have been warned by Polish officials.
- Journalists from ARD, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and Die Zeit reported that Poland blocked cooperation with German investigators and ignored the disappearance of camera footage in the port of Kolobrzeg, where the Andromeda yacht called.
- In July 2024, Władysław Ż. left for Ukraine, probably in a car with diplomatic license plates.
Sikorski’s words and the diplomatic scandal
According to the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, Radoslaw Sikorski repeatedly said that he was ready to grant Vladimir Zh. asylum in Poland and award him an order.
- At the same time, Polish officials emphasize: “Nothing has been proven against Vladimir Z., he remains only a suspect.
- Sikorski himself has long opposed the Nord Stream project. Back in the 2000s, he compared it to the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact.
- In 2022, after the explosions, Sikorsky posted a photo of the incident on social media with the caption “Thank you, USA” – but later deleted the tweet after criticism.
Investigation in Germany
- German prosecutors are treating the case as “unconstitutional sabotage.”
- Sergei K., who is believed to be the leader of the operation, is under arrest in Italy and is awaiting extradition.
- He faces up to 15 years in prison, but the sentence may be reduced if he gives detailed testimony to the court.
- One of the group’s members, Vsevolod K., was killed at the front in Ukraine, and the rest remain missing.
Political implications
German political forces are actively using the Nord Stream case:
- TheAfD and Sarah Wagenknecht’s party are demanding an end to military aid to Ukraine and the lifting of sanctions against Russia.
- Even some Christian Democrats, including Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer, are calling for the resumption of dialogue with Moscow and the possible launch of Nord Stream.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz is taking a tougher line, but the case is undermining the unity of German politics.
As a reminder, Nord Stream is a pipeline system that would supply gas from Russia to Germany, bypassing Ukraine and Poland.
The project has been politically controversial from the very beginning: it was criticized for increasing the EU’s dependence on Russian gas.
After 2022, Russia has effectively lost its instrument of gas blackmail against Europe.
Poland has traditionally opposed gas pipelines, but now it is at the center of the scandal.
What’s next?
The extradition of Sergiy K. is expected to take place quickly, and his testimony could radically change the course of the investigation.
The key question is whether the court will hear evidence of Polish officials’ involvement in covering up for Ukrainian saboteurs. This could be a test for relations between Warsaw and Berlin, which are already strained.
International reaction: Kyiv and Washington
Official Kyiv has so far avoided commenting directly on the Nord Stream case. The Ukrainian government emphasizes that the investigation is ongoing and reminds: The Kremlin has been using gas as a weapon against Europe for years. Any hints of a “Ukrainian trace” are seen in Kyiv as an attempt to weaken Western support.
In Washington, where suspicions of the United States were raised after Sikorsky’s scandalous tweet in 2022, a wait-and-see attitude has now been adopted. American officials do not rule out a “Ukrainian sabotage operation” but emphasize that regardless of the details, Moscow is primarily responsible for creating the conditions for the conflict.
Experts believe that any new testimony in a German court could affect not only Polish-German relations but also European unity in countering Russia.
