THAT’A German investigation into sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline threatens to open a new political rift between EU countries over support for Ukraine. After three years of investigation, German federal investigators believe they have come together evidence suggesting elite Kiev units were responsible for the September 2022 attacks in the Baltic Sea. This was revealed by the Wall Street Journal, which stated that the conclusions of the investigation could cause tension in the relations of several countries allied with Ukraine.
German sabotage and investigation: what was found
The team of investigators reconstructed in detail the dynamics of the sabotage that blew up the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, considered by many to be a symbol of Europe’s energy dependence on Russian gas. According to the WSJ, the group acted under the direct supervision of Ukraine’s army chief and current ambassador to London.Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Germany has issued arrest warrants for seven people – three soldiers and four divers – accused of planting explosives in a gas pipeline. A A key element of the investigation was a photo taken with a speed camera, which allowed one of the Ukrainian divers to be identified thanks to facial recognition software..
Polish reaction: no to surrender of suspect
There Poland refused to hand over any of the suspects to Germanyconsidered a “hero” in Warsaw for targeting Kremlin funding sources. Prime Minister Donald Tusk joked about the German investigation, stating that “the problem is not that the pipe was destroyed, but that the pipe was built”. According to the WSJ, the man was returned to Ukraine in a car with diplomatic plates driven by a military attaché in Warsaw.
This case, wrote the Wall Street Journal, also sparked strong political tensions in Germany, where the AfD used this case to demand a reduction in aid to Kiev and denounce the economic impact of the energy crisis.
Arrest of unit head in Italy, extradition and risk of pressure on Berlin
That the alleged head of the unit, 46-year-old former Ukrainian security service officer Serhii Kuznietsov, was arrested in Italy last August after German police installed a ‘silent alert’ in his passport, which was programmed to activate when he crossed the EU border. Alertness arose when Kuznietsov crossed the border between Ukraine and Poland. From there, investigators followed him to the Czech Republic and then to Italy, using data from highway tolls and hotel reservations made by his wife on travel portals. The Carabinieri captured him in the tourist village of San Clementein Emilia-Romagna.
Kuznietsov went on hunger strike to protest detention conditions and because – according to the WSJ – his vegan and gluten-free diet was not respected in prison. Last week Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s commissioner for human rights, officially urged Italian authorities to ensure respect for detainees’ basic rights.
Recently, The court in Bologna approved the suspect’s extradition, but his lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, announced a new appeal in the Supreme Court, which in the past has blocked shipments to Germany. German police have arranged a plane to pick up Kuzietsov in Italy and take him to Hamburg to stand trial.
That Extradition proceedings in Italy, which must be completed by December, could increase pressure on Berlin and Kiev. A possible trial, – according to the American newspaper’s observations – would risk further deteriorating relations between the two countries and complicate the position of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, while internal pressure to review German support to Ukraine.
