Germany has issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian national suspected of playing a key role in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. The suspect, Volodymyr S., was formerly affiliated with Ukraine’s military and worked as a diving instructor. The warrant comes after a lengthy investigation involving European intelligence agencies, which eventually led to the identification of the suspect based on witness accounts and photographic evidence.
The Nord Stream pipelines, a critical energy lifeline between Russia and Europe, were targeted in an underwater bombing that initially led many to suspect Russian involvement. However, intelligence reports gradually shifted the focus toward Ukrainian special forces. Investigations revealed that a team rented a yacht in Germany, sailed through various European waters, and planted explosives on the pipeline at a depth of 260 feet. Traces of explosive material found on the yacht have solidified these findings.
Dutch intelligence was reportedly the first to alert the West of Ukrainian involvement, though they maintain that President Volodymyr Zelensky was not directly involved. Instead, they point to Valery Zaluzhnyi, the former head of Ukraine’s armed forces, as the mastermind behind the operation. Meanwhile, reports have surfaced suggesting that U.S. intelligence had knowledge of the plot months in advance, but did not act to prevent it. Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski even hinted that President Joe Biden may have been aware of the plan and tacitly approved it.
This arrest warrant has major implications, casting doubt on the narrative that Russia was solely responsible. It also raises concerns about the extent of covert operations carried out by Ukraine and how much Western governments knew beforehand.
