The Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion - considered the largest sabotage of European energy infrastructure since World War II - suddenly heated up again after a Ukrainian suspect was arrested in Italy.
Suspect Sergey Kuznetsov is expected to be extradited to Germany to appear in court, with the group of 6 people led the explosion using a small yacht. But a series of questions still surround the case that has lasted for nearly 3 years.
New version from Germany
German prosecutors believe that Kuznetsov and his teammates rented a yacht named Andromeda in the city of Rostock (Germany) with fake papers. The group was accused of covering a dense monitoring network in the Baltic Sea, approaching the Nord Stream pipeline at a depth of 70-80m and planting explosives.
This scenario almost coincides with an investigation in the Wall Street Journal a year ago, depicting a group of Ukrainians who declare wine enzyme and patriotism, secretly implementing a plan to blow up the pipeline with a limited budget.
According to the source, even President Volodymyr Zelensky initially agreed but later withdrew due to warnings from the CIA, but by then the sabotage team had set off.
Russia denies the " Andromeda" scenario
Russia has repeatedly mocked the hypothesis that a small group could carry out such a complex sabotage operation on its own. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov once said: "A group of people sitting drinking suddenly thought: Why not let the Nord Stream pipeline explode? They hired a small boat, dived and planted explosives. He affirmed that only those who are afraid of the truth and want to protect Kiev believe in this scenario.
Experts have also expressed skepticism. Andromeda is only 15m long, without a cargo compartment to contain 4 bombs weighing up to 27kg along with deep diving equipment, mixed-use air systems, and low-pressure compartments - which are almost mandatory for missions at a depth of 80m.
They also stressed that such a digging takes at least 3 hours, requiring the ship to anchor on site for several days in a row. Meanwhile, the Baltic Sea is one of the areas closely monitored by NATO, where even civilian fishing vessels are regularly monitored. If the other small group really operates successfully, it would mean a disastrous failure of the Western surveillance system.
The "state shape" has not disappeared
Shortly after the explosion, many Western politicians and media believe that only one country is capable of committing sabotage. At that time, Russia was most suspected. However, over time, this hypothesis has been gradually pushed back, giving way to the story of yacht and 6 Ukrainians.
However, even German prosecutors admitted that the incident bears the mark of a military plan. This has led to continued skepticism about which state power is behind, rather than just a small group acting independently.
Un solved mystery
The Nord Stream explosion not only destroyed tens of billions of dollars worth of energy infrastructure, but also shook Europe's energy security. Russia - which owns 51% of Gazprom, the company that owns Nord Stream - has been excluded from official investigations and has never had access to evidence.
While waiting for Kuznetsov's trial, many experts still question: Can a small yacht with 6 unknown people really bypass the entire powerful NATO surveillance system to cause an explosive explosion that shocked the world?
