According to the latest findings in the Nord Stream investigation, Serhii K (real name Sergey Kuznetsov) - a Ukrainian citizen arrested in Italy last week - is believed to have commanded all of the sabotage group's activities in the explosive attack on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines.
Information from the investigation has been published by German news agencies such as German public broadcaster ARD, the daily Suddeutsche Zeitung and the weekly DIE ZEIT.
The officials in the investigation team said that the Nord Stream sabotage group's suspects include some civilians, former soldiers and soldiers on active duty, making the case particularly sensitive.
Last year, German investigators tracked down a man named Volodymyr S, one of the divers suspected in the Nord Stream case. Volodymyr S was identified in Poland but later escaped.
According to media reports, suspect Volodymyr S fled in a Ukrainian diplomatic car before Polish police arrived to arrest him.
The arrested leader of the Nord Stream sabotage group was also found to be in contact with the Ukrainian secret service.
According to information obtained by German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel, Serhii K is believed to have worked for the Ukrainian secret service SBU for 10 years.
DIE ZEIT newspaper said the suspect was still active in a club for security reserves.
Therefore, it is not impossible to rule out the possibility that the Ukrainian government is involved. This is a sensitive issue that could affect relations between Germany and Ukraine.
To date, Germany has been considered one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine in the context of the conflict with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly denied Ukraine's involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage.
According to Italian officials, Serhii K will be detained in the country until at least early September. The Ukrainian suspect could then be extradited to Germany. Serhii K plans to defend himself against being extradited to Germany, according to the suspect's lawyer.
The hearing on the possibility of extradition is scheduled to take place in mid-next week. If convicted in Germany, Serhii K could face up to 15 years in prison.
Serhii K was arrested on the evening of August 20 in Rimini province, Italy while on vacation with his wife and two children. This 49-year-old man is suspected of committing against the government.
On June 26, 2022, unidentified people blew up three of the four gas pipelines in the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 systems under the Baltic Sea. These pipelines serve to supply Russian gas to Germany.
According to the investigation, the Ukrainian suspect, along with five other men and a woman, used a fake passport to rent the Andromeda to the gas pipelines.
The suspects placed at least four bombs at a depth of 70 to 80 meters and attached them to the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. After that, the group was picked up by a driver and taken to Ukraine.
