Key facts
- Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office stated there is no evidence of state involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.
- The office proposed forming a joint investigation team with German authorities.
- German prosecutors have charged a Ukrainian national, identified as Serhii K., in connection with the explosions.
- The suspect denies the charges against him.
- Denmark and Sweden have closed their investigations into the incident.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office announced on July 9 that its investigation has found no evidence to suggest the Ukrainian state, its institutions, or officials were involved in the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in 2022. The statement comes a week after German federal prosecutors filed charges against Serhii K., a Ukrainian national and former soldier, who is suspected of leading the sabotage operation.
Prosecutors stated that the investigation and evidence collection are ongoing, and Ukraine is ready to assist in uncovering the full truth. They acknowledged the German indictment and affirmed cooperation with German authorities, while emphasizing that guilt can only be established by a court verdict. The explosions in September 2022 destroyed three of the four gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany, fueling international speculation.
German investigators allege Serhii K. commanded the yacht "Andromeda" used in the attack and claim he incriminated himself through phone calls and evidence found on his cell phone. Serhii K., who served in Ukraine's Special Operations Forces, had his claim to functional immunity dismissed by a German court, which did not recognize the pipeline as a legitimate military target or grant combatant immunity for covert operations.
Ukraine has consistently denied any involvement in the sabotage. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated he was not fully aware of the German investigation's details. Ukrainian authorities have also raised concerns about Serhii K.'s detention conditions. Germany remains the only country actively investigating the incident, as Denmark and Sweden closed their probes in 2024 without accountability.