German media have revealed details of the charges against a Ukrainian detained in Italy on suspicion of leading the sabotage of the "Nord Stream" gas pipelines in September 2022.
According to a published arrest warrant reported by ARD, Süddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit, the man - identified as Sergei K. - arrived on a pre-rented sailboat to the island of Rügen in Germany. There, he was supposed to coordinate the operation and lead a group of six people: a captain, four divers and an explosives expert.
The investigation indicates that the team placed at least four charges on the pipes of "Nord Stream 1" and "Nord Stream 2" at a depth of 70-80 meters. Each charge weighed between 14 and 27 kilograms and contained a mixture of hexogen and octogen. The explosive devices were equipped with synchronizing mechanisms.
The German prosecutor's office accuses Sergei K. of "anti-state sabotage", "deliberate detonation with explosives" and "destruction of structures". If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
Italian authorities detained the suspect on Thursday, but the country's court has not yet decided whether to extradite him to Germany.