Germany Issues European Arrest Warrant for Suspected Nord Stream Saboteur
Several reliable German newspapers, including Die Zeit and Süddeutsche Zeitung, have reported that Germany has issued a European arrest warrant for a Ukrainian man suspected of participating in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines that occurred in September 2022. Until now, the existence of the warrant has not been confirmed by German authorities, but if confirmed, it would mark one of the most significant developments in the nearly two-year investigation, which has not produced major results so far.
Currently, it is unclear where the suspect is located, but the last known whereabouts were in Poland. The newspapers have identified the man as Wladimir S., a diver who was allegedly part of the group that, according to German investigators, placed the explosives that detonated a section of the pipelines at a depth of several meters in the Baltic Sea in 2022. This act rendered the pipelines unusable and caused two large gas leaks.
In addition to Wladimir S., two other individuals, a man and a woman, have also been identified as suspects by the German authorities; however, no arrest warrants have been issued for them yet.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, with the latter never having been operational, transport Russian gas to Europe, passing through the Baltic Sea and reaching Germany. After the explosion, Western countries, Russia, and Ukraine exchanged accusations over responsibility. Furthermore, investigations were launched by Sweden, Denmark, and Germany.
Initial findings from the investigations confirmed that the pipelines were intentionally sabotaged, indicating that the explosion was not an accident. However, by early 2024, both Sweden and Denmark decided to close their investigations without identifying any suspects or initiating legal proceedings, leaving Germany as the only country that continues to investigate the incident.
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