Ukrainian citizen arrested in Italy over Nord Stream pipeline explosions

[ad_1] BERLIN (AP) — A Ukrainian citizen man suspected to be one of many coordinators of the undersea explosions in 2022 that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany has been arrested, German prosecutors mentioned Thursday.

The suspect, recognized solely as Serhii Okay. according to German privateness guidelines, was arrested in a single day by officers from a police station in Misano Adriatrico, close to the Italian metropolis of Rimini, federal prosecutors mentioned.

Explosions on Sept. 26, 2022, broken the pipelines, which had been constructed to hold Russian pure gasoline to Germany below the Baltic Sea. The harm added to tensions over the war in Ukraine as European international locations moved to wean themselves off Russian vitality sources, following the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Investigators have been largely tightlipped on their investigation, however mentioned two years in the past they discovered traces of undersea explosives in samples taken from a yacht that was searched as a part of the probe.

In an announcement Thursday, prosecutors mentioned Serhii Okay. was considered one of a bunch of people that positioned explosives on the pipelines and is believed to have been one of many coordinators. They mentioned he's suspected of inflicting explosions, anti-constitutional sabotage and the destruction of constructions. He was arrested on a European arrest warrant that was issued on Monday.

The suspect and others used a yacht that set off from the German port of Rostock, which had been employed from a German firm utilizing solid IDs and with the assistance of intermediaries, prosecutors mentioned.

They didn’t give any info on the opposite folks aboard the yacht or say something about who else may need been concerned in coordinating the suspected sabotage, or a couple of attainable motive.

German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig praised what she known as “a really spectacular investigative success.” She mentioned in an announcement that the explosions should be cleared up, “so it's good that we're making progress.”

The explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was Russia’s major pure gasoline provide path to Germany till Moscow cut off supplies on the finish of August 2022.

Additionally they broken the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which by no means entered service as a result of Germany suspended its certification process shortly earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine in February of that yr.

Russia has accused the U.S. of staging the explosions, a cost Washington has denied. The pipelines had been lengthy a target of criticism by the U.S. and a few of its allies, who warned that they posed a threat to Europe’s vitality safety by growing dependence on Russian gasoline.

In 2023, German media reported {that a} pro-Ukraine group was concerned within the sabotage. Ukraine rejected ideas it may need ordered the assault and German officers voiced caution over the accusation.

German prosecutors didn’t say once they anticipate Serhii Okay. to be handed over to German authorities.

Swedish and Danish authorities closed their investigations in February 2024, leaving the German prosecutors’ case as the only probe.

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