German prosecutors charge Ukrainian man for Nord Stream sabotage

German federal prosecutors have filed charges against a 50‑year‑old Ukrainian national, identified in court documents as Serhii K, for the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 under‑sea gas pipelines in September 2022. The indictment alleges that K coordinated a seven‑person team that used the sailing yacht *Andromeda* to place high‑explosive charges on the pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm Island, causing explosions that halted Russian gas supplies to Europe. Charges include attacks on civilian energy infrastructure, causing an explosion, destruction of infrastructure and, under international criminal law, a war crime. K was arrested in Italy in August 2025, extradited to Germany in November 2025 and is being held in Hamburg. He denies involvement, claiming he was serving in the Ukrainian armed forces and should enjoy functional immunity. Prosecutors cite intercepted phone calls in which the suspect reportedly admitted participation, as well as forensic evidence linking the yacht and explosives to the operation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it is too early to comment on the details of the case, while German authorities treat the sabotage as part of the Russia‑Ukraine conflict and have hinted at possible foreign‑state involvement.