In 2022, the “North Stream” natural gas pipeline explosion that shocked Europe finally underwent its first criminal trial after four years.
However, as the trial just began, the defendant's lawyer raised a controversial question: Is the ‘North Stream’ pipeline, which is an important energy infrastructure in Russia, a civilian facility, or can it be regarded as a military target that can be attacked?
According to reports by Reuters and the Associated Press on October 14, the Hamburg Hanse High Court in Germany held a hearing for the 'North Stream' pipeline explosion case. Sergei Kuznetsov, a 50-year-old former Ukrainian officer, is accused of leading a team consisting of divers and demolition experts who damaged the natural gas pipeline connecting Russia and Germany in September 2022. This is the first time that a suspect involved in the incident has appeared in court for criminal trial since the explosion occurred.
The German federal prosecution accused Kuznetsov of committing war crimes against civilian targets, including acts such as creating explosions, destroying property, and disrupting public services. However, the defendant denied involvement in the explosions, and his defense lawyer requested the charges be dropped on the first day of the trial.
According to Reuters, defense lawyer Nicola Canestrini believes that the Nord Stream pipeline is a 'weapon' used by Russia to exert political and economic pressure, and therefore could constitute a legitimate target for military strikes. He asked in court whether it is illegal to destroy the invaders' infrastructure without causing casualties.
The defense’s main argument is that if the Nord Stream pipeline is identified as a military target, then an attack on it may not constitute a war crime. However, the German prosecution believes that the pipeline is a civil energy infrastructure, and that the attack caused damage to public services, thus criminal liability should be pursued according to the law.
Beyond the legal nature of the pipeline, whether the defendant can fully exercise their right to defense is also a focal point of controversy.
According to the Associated Press, Kuznetsov appeared in court wearing a gray suit that day. He used headphones to listen to Ukrainian translations and remained silent during the trial. His lawyer stated that as a Ukrainian soldier, Kuznetsov was bound by state confidentiality obligations and therefore could not disclose information that might involve national security, making it difficult for him to fully defend himself.
With the trial beginning, evidence gathered by German investigators over years of investigation has also for the first time entered the public court.
According to German prosecutors, Kuznetsov, along with other Ukrainian military personnel, planned a sabotage operation, allegedly acting on behalf of unidentified Ukrainian state agencies. Prosecutors believe that the operation was aimed at permanently interrupting Russia's natural gas supply to Europe, cutting off Moscow’s important energy sources that support military operations.
According to Reuters, the prosecution accused Kuznetsov of entering Germany through Poland about three weeks before the explosion. He then used a sailboat rented from the German port of Rostock to travel to the waters near Bornholm Island in Denmark. There, he placed military-grade explosive devices around the submarine pipeline.
The German magazine "Der Spiegel" and Germany's TV2 previously investigated and reported that a total of five men and one woman were suspected of being involved in the operation. The sailboat used was named "Andromeda". However, the defense argued that there were no witnesses who saw Kuznetsov on the boat, and his fingerprints were not found on the boat either.
On September 26, 2022, multiple explosions occurred at the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipelines. Three of the four pipelines were damaged, and a large amount of natural gas leaked into the Baltic Sea. After the incident, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany conducted investigations respectively. Denmark and Sweden will conclude their investigations in 2024, while Germany continues to investigate the individuals involved in the incident.
Kuznetsov was arrested in Italy in August 2025, and transferred to Germany in November of the same year. Currently, he is the only suspect who has been tried. Another Ukrainian man suspected of being involved in installing the explosive device has been arrested in Croatia and is undergoing extradition procedures.
This trial has once again drawn attention to the sensitive relations between Germany and Ukraine.
Germany is one of Ukraine's most important military allies in Europe, but investigations by German prosecutors have pointed the finger at Ukrainian military personnel as possibly responsible for the attack. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has repeatedly denied any involvement of his government in the bombing incident.
The Russian side is demanding that the mastermind behind the attack be identified. According to The Associated Press, Russian President's press secretary Peskov said on the 13th that Moscow expects the trial to be objective, and not only should the people who carried out the explosion be identified, but also the identity of the person who gave the order should be determined.
The case has also sparked political debates in Germany. According to Reuters, the Alternative for Germany party has long advocated for a halt to military assistance to Ukraine and a restoration of energy relations with Russia. On the 14th, the party submitted a motion to the Land parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, once again calling for a halt to aid to Ukraine, and linking this demand to the “North Stream” case.
The “North Stream” pipeline, which once carried a large amount of natural gas from Germany, has been shut down for four years. As criminal proceedings unfold, German courts will not only need to determine whether the defendant was involved in the explosion, but they will also have to consider what legal protection energy infrastructure enjoys during armed conflicts.
According to Reuters, the related trial is expected to continue until February 2027. Currently, the court has not made a ruling on whether the defendant is guilty or not.
