Pipeline-Anschlag: Anklage wirft Nord-Stream-Verdächtigem Kriegsverbrechen vor

Four years after the Nord Stream pipeline attacks in the Baltic Sea, a trial began in Hamburg against suspected perpetrator Serhij K., a 50-year-old Ukrainian. He faces charges, among others, of waging war crimes in the state prosecution's declaration read at the start of the trial. The prosecution also accuses him of causing explosions, destroying structures and disrupting public services.

Since he committed the acts as an officer of the Ukrainian army and with knowledge of Ukrainian state institutions, they are considered war crimes. The pipeline attacks made headlines worldwide in September 2022, just months after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and drew significant media attention. Over 100 journalists from Russia, Ukraine, the United States, China and several European countries registered for the trial, according to the court.

Serhij K. allegedly led the command and operation to destroy the gas pipelines running from Russia to Lubmin in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in an attempt to prevent Russia from using gas trade revenues to fund its invasion of Ukraine. Demonstrators gathered in front of the courthouse, with about 20 Ukrainians demanding that he not be convicted of war crimes, stating that his country did not know what constituted war crimes before the Russian invasion.