Former Ukrainian Brigadier General Roman Czerwiński claims German intelligence, not he, was behind the November 2023 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage and accuses Germany of acting for Russia.
Allegations About Czerwiński’s Role
According to a 2023 Washington Post report, the six‑person group that carried out the Nord Stream sabotage was led by Brigadier General Roman Czerwiński. He had participated in Ukrainian security special operations from 2014‑2021 and was previously detained for abuse of power during the war.
In July 2022, he allegedly urged a Russian fighter pilot to escape Ukrainian territory, acting without prior approval, and Russians received coordinates of the Kanatów airfield. Czerwiński spoke about these events on Radio Swoboda and said he knows two Ukrainians detained in Poland and Italy involved in the incident – Volodymyr Z. and Serhij K.
Accusations of German Intelligence Acting in Russia’s Interest
In an interview on Radio Swoboda Live, Czerwiński said German authorities exaggerated their powers and ignored objective circumstances. He further claimed German services acted for Russia by disclosing personally identifying data that could have been involved in the sabotage.
He denied leading the sabotage but confirmed that Serhij K. was an officer under his command at the time of the incident. He argued that if Ukrainian forces carried out the attack, Nord Stream should be treated as a legitimate military target rather than a crime.
German officials reportedly offered a two‑year prison sentence in Germany for the Ukrainians if they admitted guilt – a proposal Czerwiński called absurd, stating no crime or culpability exists.
Detainments of Ukrainian Suspects in Poland
Volodymyr Z., a Ukrainian citizen, was detained in Poland on suspicion of involvement in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 sabotage. His arrest followed a European arrest warrant and took place in a suburb of Warsaw.
Lawyer Tymoteusz Paprocki said his client has not yet responded to the charges related to the September 26, 2022 incident.
