Germany Requests Poland to Arrest Ukrainian Suspect in Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage
Image of the alleged suspect in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. Photo: X/ @wartranslated
August 14, 2024 Hour: 10:44 am
German prosecutors identified three Ukrainian divers as possibly responsible for planting explosives on the underwater pipeline.
On Wednesday, Germany media outlets Suddeutsche Zeitung, ARD, and Die Zeit reported that the Federal Prosecutor General of Germany has issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian suspect believed to be involved in the bombing of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea.
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The suspect is a diving instructor who currently resides in Poland. In September 2022, the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipelines exploded and sustained severe damage in the territorial waters of Sweden and Denmark.
Given the scale of the attack, investigators believe it was likely the result of human sabotage. Prior to the explosions, Russia used the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to transport natural gas from Siberia to Germany and other European countries.
Due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Nord Stream 2 was never put into operation, and Germany halted imports of Russian natural gas, leading to a sharp increase in domestic energy prices.
Prosecutors have identified two other suspects: a man and a woman from Ukraine, both of whom are divers and may have planted explosives on the underwater natural gas pipeline. However, as of now, the German authorities have not issued arrest warrants for these two individuals.
Wolfgang Buchner, the deputy spokesperson for the German federal government, has said that clarifying the act of sabotage is the government’s “top priority.” He refrained from commenting on whether the Polish authorities have fully cooperated.
Buchner emphasized that the investigation is conducted in accordance with the law, regardless of the individuals involved or the outcomes. He also noted that the investigation will not impact Germany’s future support for Ukraine or its extent.
teleSUR/ JF Source: Xinhua
