Italian authorities detained a Ukrainian national suspected of coordinating the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, underscoring the ongoing tensions between Kyiv and Moscow.
Italian Arrest over Nord Stream Sabotage
Italian police detained a Ukrainian national, Serhiy K., on suspicion of coordinating the placement of explosives on the Nord Stream gas pipeline in September 2022, according to German prosecutors. He is slated to be handed over to German authorities and face trial there.
Explosions in 2022
On 22 September 2022, several blasts near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea produced four gas leaks along the Nord Stream line. Investigations in Sweden, Germany and Denmark uncovered explosive residue that caused the ruptures.
WSJ Report: Attack by Ukrainians
The Wall Street Journal reported in August last year that Ukrainians were behind the Nord Stream sabotage. President Volodymyr Zelensky allegedly approved the plan, but later halted the operation upon CIA warning, an order he sent to General Oleksandr Zaluzhnyi, who ignored it. Ukrainian officials claim the pipeline was a legitimate target in the defensive war against Russia, while Zelensky’s adviser Mykola Podolyak maintained that Russia was responsible.
Polish Position on Nord Stream Reactivation
In March, Polish climate minister Paulina Hennig‑Kloska remarked that any Russian attempts to restart Nord Stream 2 would amount to funding Russia’s war machine. She cautioned that revenue from gas sales would be diverted to armaments against Europe.
Source: Gazeta,
