Investigation in Germany: who is behind the Nord Stream explosions and what is known about Ukrainian suspects
10 November 20:46
In September 2022, the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, which are key to the transit of Russian gas to Europe, leaked in the Baltic Sea.
After a series of accidents, Germany and the EU suspected sabotage, while Russia blamed the UK, but London denied the accusations.
This was reported by the Wall Street Journal, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
What German investigators say
According to the Wall Street Journal, German police and prosecutors believe that the Ukrainian military under the leadership of the then Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine, General Valeriy Zaluzhny, may have been involved in the bombings. Investigators have traced the actions of an elite unit that allegedly carried out the attacks from a pleasure yacht using open seabed maps.
Traces and identification
The key piece of evidence was a grainy black-and-white photo from a German radar station that allowed the identification of one of the divers using facial recognition software. The study of social networks and professional profiles helped to establish links with other suspects.
Among them are Vladimir Zhuravlev, who was traced to Poland, and Sergei Kuznetsov, who was found in Italy after checking his documents and matching his passport data. Investigators claim that all of them had military and intelligence experience, and the operation was carried out to reduce Russia’s oil revenues and economic ties with Germany.
Arrest warrants and next steps
Germany has issued arrest warrants for six suspects, including Zhuravlev and Kuznetsov. The seventh suspect, who had studied in Germany, died at the front in Ukraine.
The Nord Stream case continues to be investigated, and its outcome could have far-reaching political and diplomatic consequences for the EU and Ukraine.
