Rimini, Italy | Friday, August 22, 2025
Italian police have arrested a Ukrainian national, identified as Serhii K., on the basis of a German arrest warrant over alleged involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions in the Baltic Sea.
German prosecutors allege the suspect played a role in coordinating the operation, reportedly linked to a small team that used the chartered yacht Andromeda. Traces of explosives were earlier found aboard the vessel.
The September 26, 2022 blasts disabled three of the four Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines and released massive volumes of methane into the atmosphere. While Sweden and Denmark closed their separate investigations in 2024 citing jurisdictional limits, Germany continues to lead the active probe.
The suspect is expected to be extradited to Germany to face charges of sabotage and destruction of infrastructure. Ukrainian authorities have denied state involvement, and no court has yet established guilt.