Serhij K. faces trial for Nord Stream pipeline sabotage

The criminal trial regarding the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines began on Wednesday at the Hanseatisches Oberlandesgericht in Hamburg. Serhij K., a Ukrainian national and alleged former special forces officer, is the first suspect to face court for the attacks that occurred in the Baltic Sea on September 26, 2022.

Federal prosecutors allege that Serhij K. was the mastermind behind the operation. According to investigations, he and six accomplices—including a ship captain, an explosives expert, and four deep-sea divers—used the chartered sailing yacht ‘Andromeda’ to deploy high-performance military explosives near the island of Bornholm. The explosions caused four leaks across three of the four pipeline strands.

Serhij K. faces charges of war crimes for using prohibited methods of warfare against civilian objects, as well as causing explosions, destroying structures, and disrupting public utilities. He was arrested in August 2025 while on vacation on the Adriatic coast and was transferred to Germany in November. The court has scheduled 16 hearing days through December 17, with further dates expected in early 2027.