German authorities have taken a significant step in the investigation of the Nord Stream gas pipelines sabotage by issuing a European arrest warrant for a Ukrainian diving instructor. The suspect, believed to be part of the team responsible for the September 2022 explosions, was last known to reside in Poland.
The Nord Stream pipelines, stretching 1,224 kilometers under the Baltic Sea, represent a crucial energy infrastructure connecting Russia to Germany. With a capacity to transport up to 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually, the pipelines lie at depths between 80 to 110 meters.
According to reports from German media outlets, investigators believe the suspect was one of the divers who planted explosive devices on the pipelines. In June 2024, Germany requested Poland to apprehend the individual. However, recent information suggests the suspect may have left Poland.
Two additional Ukrainian diving instructors have been identified in connection with the case, but no arrest warrants have been issued for them at this time.
The sabotage incident, which occurred nearly two years ago, resulted in the destruction of three out of four pipeline sections. This act of sabotage caused one of the largest single releases of methane in history, with an estimated 300,000 metric tons of the greenhouse gas escaping into the atmosphere.
The mystery surrounding the perpetrators of this attack remains unsolved. Both Russia and Western nations have accused each other of involvement, with each side denying any responsibility. The incident has raised significant concerns about the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure and has been described by some experts as an act of environmental terrorism.
A Swedish investigation confirmed the deliberate nature of the explosions after discovering traces of explosives on objects recovered from the blast site. In January 2023, German authorities conducted a raid on a vessel suspected of transporting explosives related to the sabotage.
The Nord Stream project, costing approximately €9.5 billion, has been a source of controversy. While Nord Stream 1 became operational in 2012, Nord Stream 2 was completed in 2021 but never commenced operations due to political tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
As the investigation continues, the international community remains vigilant about the security of critical underwater infrastructure. The Nord Stream sabotage incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential vulnerabilities in global energy networks and the far-reaching consequences of such attacks on both geopolitical relations and the environment.