Ukrainian Citizen Suspected of Blowing up Nord Stream Pipelines Detained in Italy

A Ukrainian citizen suspected of involvement in the explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipelines has been detained in Italy.

This was reported on August 21 by the German prosecutor’s office. According to the investigation, the man is involved in a case of sabotage at a strategic facility that took place in September 2022.

The detainee is a Ukrainian named Sergei K. He was arrested by the Carabinieri in the province of Rimini in cooperation with Interpol.

The arrest was made on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued on August 18, 2025, by an investigating judge of the German Federal Court.

The man is suspected of complicity in organizing explosions, sabotage, and destruction of infrastructure facilities.

According to the German prosecutor’s office, Sergei K. was part of a group that planted explosive devices on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines near the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea.

Law enforcement officials believe he was one of the coordinators of the operation.

The investigation determined that the suspects used a sailing yacht rented from a German company through intermediaries and with forged documents.

The explosion occurred on September 26, 2022. As a result of the sabotage, both gas pipelines were seriously damaged, three of the four TDF lines were destroyed.

Germany is awaiting the extradition of the suspect from Italy. Other details of the investigation are not being disclosed at this time.

At the end of September 2022, three of the four lines of the Nord Stream pipeline, which were supposed to supply Russian gas to Europe, were damaged. The gas pipeline was deemed beyond repair.

Investigations by Sweden, Denmark, and Germany have confirmed the sabotage, but the perpetrators and those who ordered it have not yet been officially identified. Moscow is not participating in the investigation and blames the US and its allies, who deny any involvement.

Sabotage has been frequently reported in the Baltic Sea in recent years. Last year, it emerged that a Chinese vessel suspected of damaging telecommunications cables was operating on the instructions of Russian intelligence.