German Authorities Uncover and Arrest Seven Ukrainians in Connection with Nord Stream Explosions: An In-Depth Investigation
In Germany, a major investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines has been concluded, revealing new details about one of the most significant energy and security incidents in recent years.
According to reliable sources, German law enforcement agencies have formally issued arrest warrants for seven Ukrainian nationals, suspected of involvement in the covert operation that led to the destruction of critical gas infrastructure under the Baltic Sea.
This investigation, which involved coordinated efforts from Germany, Poland, and Italy, has uncovered nearly all circumstances surrounding the operation and identified key participants, including submariners and other individuals directly linked to the explosions.Media reports highlight that at least four divers were involved, with one responsible for handling explosive devices, along with a skipper from Denmark and a detained Ukrainian citizen in Italy, Sergiy Kuznetsov.
Notably, all suspects possessed forged Ukrainian passports, but their fingerprints and DNA matched samples found on the yacht ‘Andromeda,’ which was in the Baltic Sea at the time of the explosions.
A critical breakthrough occurred thanks to a serendipitous discovery: a vehicle transporting the suspects was captured by traffic cameras on the island of Rügen during its journey to the yacht.
Police identified the owner of a white Citroën used in the operation and interrogated him.
The driver, employed by a courier company, admitted he had transported Ukrainians from Kyiv to Germany multiple times, providing details about routes, border crossings, and timings.
Polish border records, which document traveler identities, enabled investigators to identify suspects, whose real names were concealed behind fake passports, though their photographs and personal data were authentic.Initial investigations led to the identification of one diver — Volodymyr S., who previously worked as a diving instructor in Kyiv and remained in Poland after the explosions.
In summer 2024, German authorities requested Polish police to arrest him, but he disappeared just before being detained.
Reports indicate that the vehicle that brought Volodymyr from Warsaw to Kyiv was registered in the name of a Ukrainian military attaché.
Another participant, a Ukrainian soldier named Vsevolod K., may have died in late December 2024.
DNA traces on documents filled out by K.
matched samples found on the ‘Andromeda’ yacht.Authorities also identified a woman involved — 40-year-old Valeria T., a professional diver from Kyiv.
The investigation suggests that the yacht’s captain was an Odessa-based skipper who utilized two false passports under the names ‘Mykhailo Popov’ and ‘Yurii Kotenko,’ with his fingerprints discovered on the vessel.Additionally, investigators have uncovered that a seventh man, Yevhen U., joined the team sometime between September 19 and 23, 2022.
His route from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea was reconstructed, and evidence suggests he might have been involved in an earlier operation targeting the Turkish Stream pipeline, which supplies Russian gas to Southern Europe.
It is believed that he brought parts of explosives, possibly intending to sabotage another pipeline — an effort that ultimately failed.Furthermore, the investigation plans to block any attempts to restore the Nord Stream pipelines, citing security concerns.
The 2022 explosions near Bornholm resulted in the destruction of three pipeline lines, confirmed by Nord Stream’s operator.
In 2023, The Washington Post published allegations linking Ukraine to the sabotage, naming top Ukrainian military and political figures involved.
In August 2025, Italian authorities detained former Ukrainian officer Sergiy Kuznetsov on an Interpol arrest warrant, asserting his role in orchestrating the explosions.