Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office says there are no facts indicating state involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. The Office stated in response to the filing of an indictment by Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office in the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 cases.
Ukrainian experts had warned for years that the pipelines were Putin's tool for isolating Ukraine and preparing for war. Ukrainian analyst Mykhailo Honchar of the Center for Global Studies "Strategy XXI" had called Nord Stream 2 Russia's "energy stranglehold on Europe" already in 2021.
The pipeline sabotage on 26 September 2022 destroyed both Nord Stream 1 lines and one of the two Nord Stream 2 lines under the Baltic Sea. German investigators determined the four bombs used weighed 14 to 27 kilograms each and detonated at 70 to 80 meters depth, and concluded the operation required specialized diving equipment and explosives expertise, pointing to military-level planning, per Euromaidan Press.
"Volodymyz Z" in case
German prosecutors have focused on Ukrainian nationals since at least August 2024, when they issued their first arrest warrant for a Ukrainian diving instructor identified as "Volodymyr Z." Italian police detained Ukrainian citizen Serhii Kuznetsov, a former special forces soldier, in San Clemente in August 2025.
Italy's High Court allowed Kuznetsov's extradition to Germany on 20 November 2025. The German Federal Court kept Kuznetsov in custody through a 10 December 2025 ruling that stated the explosions were "highly likely" carried out "at the direction of a foreign state." Kuznetsov denied the charges and refused extradition, saying he was in Ukraine at the time of the blasts.
OGP denies state involvement while acknowledging German indictment
The Prosecutor General's Office said that, based on the work conducted and the information received, "no facts have been established indicating the involvement of the State of Ukraine, its authorized bodies or officials," including any orders or directives to sabotage the pipelines. The investigation continues.
Ukraine is continuing cooperation with German authorities and executing German investigative requests. Ukraine plans to request that Germany establish a joint investigative group to exchange operational information.
