German politician Sahra Wagenknecht has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide testimony regarding the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions.
As leader of the left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), she insists on a parliamentary investigative committee to examine the incident. Her demands follow recent arrests that point to Ukrainian involvement in the sabotage.
The Nord Stream pipelines, which transported natural gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, were damaged by explosions in September 2022.
A 49-year-old Ukrainian national was arrested in Italy on August 21, 2025, following a European arrest warrant issued by Germany.
The suspect, identified as Serhii K. in some reports, faces charges of causing an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage, and destruction of infrastructure. He was detained while vacationing with his family in the Rimini province and is awaiting extradition to Germany.
The arrest stems from evidence linking the man to a small team that allegedly used a yacht named Andromeda to place explosives on the pipelines.
Investigators believe he coordinated the operation, which involved Ukrainian divers operating from the vessel in the Baltic Sea. Reports indicate the suspect had served in Ukraine’s military, adding a layer to the ongoing probe.
This development follows an earlier warrant in June 2024 for another Ukrainian suspect, Volodymyr Z., who reportedly fled Poland to Ukraine after authorities there failed to act on the alert.
Polish prosecutors cited issues with the suspect’s address not being registered and deferred to their internal security service. All known suspects are now believed to be in Ukraine, complicating extradition efforts.
Wagenknecht argues that the operation likely involved state backing from Ukraine and possibly the U.S. under the Biden administration.
Wagenknecht references investigative journalist Seymour Hersh’s reports, which allege U.S. complicity in the sabotage.
Wagenknecht has called for the establishment of a parliamentary investigative committee to examine the incident’s full background. If Ukraine’s involvement is confirmed, she suggests Germany should seek compensation and reconsider its aid to Kyiv.
She also advocates for repairing and recommissioning the pipelines to resume imports of Russian gas as a cost-effective energy source.
The sabotage disrupted a key energy supply route, leading to higher gas prices in Europe and reliance on alternatives like U.S. liquefied natural gas.
Russia has repeatedly called for inclusion in the investigations, filing complaints over Germany’s handling of the case. No official evidence has linked the attacks to any government, though theories persist across various sources.
Ongoing probes by German federal prosecutors continue to gather evidence, with no charges yet filed against higher-level officials.
The incident remains classified as potential state-sponsored terrorism by some observers. International cooperation has been limited, with Russia excluded from joint efforts by Western nations.
The arrest has renewed debates on accountability amid Germany’s substantial military and financial support for Ukraine since 2022. Wagenknecht’s party emphasizes the economic impact on Germany, including lost access to affordable energy.
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