Germany: all suspects in Nord Stream explosions identified

ARD, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and Zeit report this in a joint investigation.

According to the investigation, Germany has identified all those involved in the 2022 Nord Stream explosions. German investigators obtained arrest warrants for six Ukrainian citizens suspected of carrying out the blasts, while another participant may have died.

The investigation established that the group members used Ukrainian passports with false names. One of the suspects was reportedly transported from Poland to Kyiv in a car belonging to a Ukrainian military attaché, allegedly to avoid arrest.

According to the findings, the suspects reached the Baltic Sea aboard the rented yacht Andromeda, from which they likely carried out the sabotage. The team consisted of seven people: the operation’s coordinator, four divers — one of them a woman working at a private diving school in Kyiv — an explosives expert, and a skipper from Odesa.

One of the participants, Vsevolod K., who likely died at the frontline, had previously undergone training in Germany as part of aid programs. According to the investigation, his documents contained DNA that matched traces found on the yacht.

It is noted that some of the suspects have ties to Ukrainian intelligence services or the military, but direct state involvement has not yet been proven.

Investigators also found the vehicle that transported the team to the harbor and collected DNA samples. The investigation is still ongoing, and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office has not yet filed charges.

Nord Stream sabotage

On the night of September 26, 2022, a sudden pressure drop occurred in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. By September 27, it became known that, on the eve of the Baltic pipeline launch into the Baltic Sea, gas had leaked from the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Experts determined that on September 26, an industrial-type explosion of about 700 kg TNT equivalent occurred along the routes of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg then called the incident sabotage.

U.S. and German media investigated the Nord Stream accident, suggesting the involvement of pro-Ukrainian forces, but officials from the countries and NATO advised waiting for the official investigation results.

Later, on March 16, it became known that Denmark would not allow Russian representatives to participate in the investigation of the underwater pipeline explosions. On April 27, Denmark confirmed that the Russian special vessel SS-750 had been near the Nord Stream pipeline four days before the pipes were blown up.

On Saturday, June 10, The Wall Street Journal published an article stating that those who carried out the sabotage of the pipelines may have used Poland as a base for the attack. The article cited an analysis of data from the yacht Andromeda, which was allegedly used to carry out the pipeline explosions. According to the data, the vessel entered Polish waters, deviating from its course.

On June 11, Poland’s government commissioner for information security and spokesperson for the Minister-Coordinator for Special Services, Stanisław Żaryn, denied any Polish involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage.

On August 21, 2025, Italian police arrested a Ukrainian citizen suspected of involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline explosion. During the court hearing, he denied the charges and refused extradition to Germany.