Trial opens for Ukrainian ex-officer over Nord Stream blasts

The trial of Serhii K., a former Ukrainian military officer accused of helping organize the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, opened Wednesday at the Hamburg Higher Regional Court. He is the only defendant currently on trial and denies involvement. German prosecutors allege that Serhii K. worked with other military personnel to plan the operation on behalf of unidentified Ukrainian state entities. They say the group used a yacht and explosives to attack the pipelines, and describe the alleged conduct as including complicity in war crimes because it targeted civilian infrastructure. Those claims have not been established in court. The indictment, as summarized by prosecutors, alleges that the group aimed to permanently halt gas deliveries through the pipelines and prevent Russia from earning revenue from natural gas sales. Prosecutors say the yacht was used to reach an area near Denmark’s Bornholm island, where explosives were attached to the pipelines. The court proceedings are the first public hearing of evidence gathered during the investigation. Swedish seismologists detected blasts on September 26, 2022. Three of the four pipeline lines ruptured, releasing methane.