German prosecutors are refusing to answer Niezalezna’s questions regarding the recent arrests connected to the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. “The investigation is ongoing. Therefore, we cannot provide further information,” said Ines Peterson, spokesperson for the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe (FTS), in a statement to the portal Niezalezna.
On Tuesday, based on a European Arrest Warrant, a 46-year-old Ukrainian, Wolodymyr Z., was detained in Pruszków County. He is suspected of involvement in the destruction of three of the four Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines. On September 26, 2022, explosions damaged the gas pipeline on the floor of the Baltic Sea, which was transporting natural gas from Russia to Germany.
The European Arrest Warrant was issued on the basis of a decision by the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe (FTS). This is Germany’s highest constitutional court.
Niezalezna.pl addressed questions to the institution regarding the ruling and the proceedings themselves.
“The investigation is ongoing. Therefore, we cannot provide further information,” Ines Peterson, spokesperson for the FTS, told Niezalezna editorial team.
So far, two suspects. We were also referred to the official announcements published on the Court’s website. Both state “arrest in connection with the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines.” However, the question remained unanswered as to whether German authorities are seeking additional suspects and whether European Arrest Warrants have been issued against them.
The first announcement, dated August 21 this year, concerns the detention of Serhij K. by Italian authorities. The Ukrainian citizen was arrested in Rimini.
“Serhij K. belonged to a group of people who planted explosive charges on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines near the island of Bornholm in September 2022. The accused was allegedly one of the coordinators of the operation. He and his accomplices used a sailing yacht departing from Rostock for transport. The yacht had previously been rented from a German company through intermediaries using forged identity documents. The explosive charges were detonated on September 26, 2022. The explosions severely damaged both pipelines,” reads the statement.
German authorities are seeking his extradition. Serhij K. denies the charges, and his lawyer told the media that at the time of the attack he was on Ukrainian territory.
Another Ukrainian suspect linked to the case is Wolodymyr Z., who was detained in Poland on September 30 this year. German prosecutors also accuse him of causing the explosions, of “constitutional sabotage against Germany,” and of destroying infrastructure.
Additionally, the statement indicates that he is a trained diver and allegedly operated underwater. Wolodymyr Z. also denies the charges, claiming that at the time of the explosions he was in Poland.