The German federal prosecutor announced that the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, in September 2022, would have been organized by the Ukrainian authorities.

The German federal prosecutor's office declared on Thursday that the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which took place in September 2022, may have been orchestrated at the request of Ukrainian authorities. The information was published after the first suspect, Serhii Kuzniatsov, was charged. According to prosecutors, Kuzniatsov, along with military allies, allegedly devised a plan to destroy the pipelines that connect Russia to Germany.

He was arrested in Italy and extradited to Germany, claiming that he was in Ukraine at the time of the explosions. Investigators state that the suspect and his accomplices rented a sailboat to navigate near the Danish island of Bornholm, where they planted explosives on the pipelines. The purpose of the operation was to block natural gas deliveries from Russia and reduce its revenues. Although Nord Stream 2 was not operational at the time of the attack, Nord Stream 1 was providing a significant portion of Germany's gas needs. Ukrainian authorities have not acknowledged involvement in the sabotage but have argued that actions affecting the Kremlin's ability to finance the war are legitimate. The investigation continues to establish the entire network involved in this act.