Nord Stream blast trial opens in Germany as defence seeks dismissal

Serhii Kuznetsov went on trial in Hamburg on Wednesday, 14 October, over the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022. His lawyers immediately asked for the case to be dropped, arguing that military secrecy prevents him from defending himself. It is the first trial of a suspect in the blasts, but neither Kuznetsov’s guilt nor the allegation of Ukrainian state involvement has been established. [4] [5]

German federal prosecutors accuse Kuznetsov of helping to plan the attack on the orders of Ukrainian state agencies and leading a team that included divers, a skipper and an explosives expert. He faces charges including causing explosions, damaging the pipelines and a war crime involving an attack on civilian infrastructure. The Hamburg court admitted the charges for trial in September; that decision was not a verdict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied that his country was involved. [1] [2] [4]

The explosions on 26 September 2022 ruptured three of the four Nord Stream pipeline lines beneath the Baltic Sea. The damage was substantial, although Nord Stream 1 had already stopped delivering gas and Nord Stream 2 had never entered service. Prosecutors say the alleged plot was intended to prevent future deliveries and deprive Russia of gas revenue that could fund its war. [2] [3] [4]

Kuznetsov gave no account of the allegations at the opening hearing; the BBC reports that he denies the charges. His lawyers said he remains bound by military secrecy and cannot speak freely even to them, leaving him unable to mount a fair defence. They also dispute his alleged leadership role and the description of the pipelines as civilian infrastructure. No decision on their request to end the trial was reported on Wednesday.