German law enforcement officers have identified all members of the group suspected of involvement in the explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea in 2022. This is reported by Tagesschau, according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that German investigators from the Federal Police, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), and the Federal Prosecutor's Office, following a joint investigation conducted by ARD, Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), and Die Zeit, issued arrest warrants for six Ukrainian citizens.
Another suspect, according to investigators, may have died in the war against Russia.
The investigation is at the pre-trial stage; the German Federal Prosecutor's Office has not yet filed charges. The presumption of innocence applies.
According to investigators, the sabotage group consisted of seven people who operated from a yacht "Andromeda" rented in Rostock. The group included coordinator Serhiy K., four divers (among them a woman from a Kyiv diving school), an explosives expert, and the yacht captain from Odesa. Four bombs with hexogen and octogen, equipped with timers, were installed on board, which damaged three of the four gas pipeline branches
One of the suspects – 49-year-old Serhiy K., who is considered the leader of the operation – was detained in Italy last week. He arrived there with his family, allegedly for a vacation. According to Italian media, he denies the charges. The issue of his extradition to Germany has not yet been resolved.
Another suspect, Vsevolod K., may have died while fighting as part of Ukrainian military units. His DNA, collected during training at the Bundeswehr in Wildflecken, matched samples found on the "Andromeda."
"Part of the 'Andromeda' crew, according to the investigation, had direct ties to Ukrainian special services or the army. Whether this was an official Ukrainian operation has not yet been proven. It could have been a group of mercenaries, but certain facts indicate a close connection with the state and patriotic motives," writes Tagesschau.
Recall
A senior Ukrainian military officer, who had deep ties to Ukraine's intelligence services, played a central role in the Nord Stream pipeline explosion.