German court begins trial of former Ukrainian officer over Nord Stream sabotage
On 14 October 2026 the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg began proceedings against Serhii Kuznetsov, a 50‑year‑old former Ukrainian army officer, charging him with co‑perpetrating a war crime for allegedly coordinating the sabotage of three Nord Stream gas pipelines on 26 September 2022.
The trial matters because it pits Germany’s pursuit of accountability for a major infrastructure attack against the political sensitivities of its long‑standing support for Ukraine, while also raising questions about the legality of covert state‑directed actions that target civilian infrastructure.
Prosecutors allege that a seven‑person team, including four professional divers, an explosives expert and a skipper, departed from Rostock aboard the chartered yacht Andromeda, planted HMX and RDX explosives near the Danish island of Bornholm, and detonated the devices at roughly 80 metres depth.
"The aim was to permanently halt gas deliveries via the pipelines and prevent Russia from using the revenue from the natural gas trade to finance its war efforts," the indictment states.
German investigators say Kuznetsov oversaw the operation from the deck and later incriminated himself in phone calls while held in Italian custody.
Kuznetsov’s defense argues that the pipelines were a legitimate military target and that the war‑crime charge should instead focus on Russian forces. The court has already rejected a claim of combatant immunity, ruling that it does not shield covert operatives who cannot be distinguished from civilians. His lawyers also contend that no forensic evidence, such as fingerprints on the yacht, directly links him to the sabotage.
The case arrives amid heightened political contention in Germany. Opposition parties, especially the AfD, are using the trial to press for a reassessment of German military aid to Ukraine, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government maintains its support. Gazprom‑owned Nord Stream 2 AG has applied to join the suit as a co‑plaintiff, seeking compensation that could tap into frozen Russian assets earmarked for Kyiv.
Only one suspect is on trial; a second alleged diver, Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, remains in custody in Croatia and is fighting extradition. German investigators have identified seven suspects in total, one of whom was killed fighting Russia.
The court has scheduled two hearings each week, with around 30 hearing days projected through February 2027. A verdict is expected sometime next year, a decision that could influence both German domestic politics and broader EU‑Russia‑Ukraine legal dynamics.
