German law enforcers suspect three Ukrainians of blowing up Nord Stream gas pipeline

German Federal Prosecutor Jens Rommel has issued the first arrest warrant in the case of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Z. is wanted in connection with this case. This is stated in a joint investigation by the German TV channel ARD, and the newspapers Süddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit.

In addition to him, two other Ukrainian citizens are suspected of involvement in the case. According to the investigation, they allegedly participated in the bombings as divers. Their job was to attach explosives to the gas pipelines. The suspects, a man and a woman, are reported by journalists to be a married couple. Their names are Yevhen and Svitlana U. All three were reportedly traveling in the Baltic Sea on the German sailing yacht Andromeda in September 2022.

German investigators believe that Volodymyr Z.’s last known place of residence was in a town west of Warsaw. It is unclear whether he has since returned to Ukraine. German prosecutors applied to the Polish authorities for a European arrest warrant. Thus they hope to apprehend the suspect. However, Poland did not arrest Volodymyr. The rules of the European Arrest Warrant require that suspects be arrested within 60 days without further review. However, this deadline has passed as of now. It is worth noting that both Germany and Poland consider these rules binding

In a phone conversation with journalists, Władysław Z. expressed surprise at the accusation and denied any involvement in the attack on Nord Stream.

Investigation

According to investigators, the driver of a white van seen on the German island of Rügen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern may have played a key role in the issuance of the arrest warrant for Volodymyr. The vehicle was reportedly used to transport diving equipment, and sources indicate that the driver picked up several Ukrainians. He allegedly identified Volodymyr from photographs.

Eyewitnesses reported that two men and a woman set off from the German city of Rostock on the Andromeda in early September 2022. The yacht made stops in Rügen, the Danish island of Christiansoe, Sandhamn in Sweden, and Kolobrzeg in Poland before returning to Rostock. One of the sailors claimed to have heard the crew speaking Ukrainian.

Poland claimed that the crew of the Andromeda was checked during a stopover in Kolobrzeg and was found to be on a «purely tourist» trip. No one «with at least basic military or sabotage training» was observed on board. German investigators questioned the accuracy of this information from Poland. They repeatedly requested that their Polish counterparts release CCTV footage from the port of Kolobrzeg, but the Poles stated that the footage had already been deleted.

The aforementioned married couple, Yevhen and Svitlana U., who, along with Volodymyr Z., are suspected of involvement in the Nord Stream bombing, previously worked as diving instructors. The couple is currently active on social media, sharing information about their efforts to help the Ukrainian army. They have, in particular, raised money for night vision devices. In a telephone conversation, Svitlana claimed to know nothing about the attack on Nord Stream, stating that in September 2022, when the attacks occurred, she was on holiday in Bulgaria and now lives in Kyiv.

The Nord Stream Pipeline Bombing: A History

On 26 September 2022, three explosions occurred in the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, which run under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, causing massive gas leaks. Only one of the four pipelines remained intact.

Various theories emerged during the investigation. Russia, in particular, claimed sabotage by Western countries, while media reports also suggested possible Ukrainian involvement in the bombing.

The Nord Stream bombing was investigated in several countries. However, Sweden and Denmark later closed their investigations—Sweden due to a lack of jurisdiction, and Denmark due to insufficient grounds.