According to Der Spiegel, suspect was among those aboard yacht Andromeda, allegedly used in operation to blow up pipelines connecting Russia and Germany via Baltic Sea
Italian police have arrested a Ukrainian citizen suspected of involvement in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, German newsmagazine Der Spiegel reported on Thursday.
The suspect, identified as Serhij K., was apprehended near the northern Italian city of Rimini on a European arrest warrant. According to the magazine, he was among those aboard the yacht Andromeda, which investigators believe was used in the operation.
According to German investigators, the Ukrainian suspect played a coordinating role in the operation rather than being one of the divers who placed explosives on the pipelines. German government officials have not yet issued a statement about the arrest.
A German investigation concluded in 2023 that a pro-Ukrainian group was behind the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. The team that carried out the attack reportedly consisted of two divers, two assistants, a captain, and a medic.
The 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines was an unprecedented attack that caused extensive damage to the infrastructure connecting Russia and Germany beneath the Baltic Sea. The Ukrainian government has repeatedly denied any involvement.
