Trial opens in Hamburg

The trial of Serhii Kuznetsov, a 50-year-old former Ukrainian military officer, opened on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, at the Hamburg Higher Regional Court. He is the first person to stand trial over the 2022 bombings that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea. Kuznetsov walked into the courtroom accompanied by officials, gave his personal details when the judge asked, and then used his right to remain silent, though he did not cover his face. Pro-Ukrainian demonstrators protested outside before the hearing began, holding placards that read 'Russia is a terrorist'. Stern reported that Kuznetsov will refuse to testify, because former members of Ukraine's special forces are barred from speaking publicly about their military work.

What prosecutors allege

Federal prosecutors charge Kuznetsov with a war crime, specifically an attack on civilian objects using prohibited methods of warfare, and also accuse him of causing an explosion, destroying structures and disrupting public operations. Senior prosecutor Stefan Schmidt read out the indictment and said the accused and his co-perpetrators knew the pipelines did not represent a legitimate war objective. According to the indictment, Kuznetsov and six accomplices, including a ship's captain, an explosives expert and four divers, boarded the sailing yacht Andromeda, which an intermediary had chartered for several weeks. Reports differ on where the group boarded, with one naming the Baltic port of Rostock and another the port of Wiek on Rügen. The divers allegedly attached four charges fitted with timers to the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm, using military-grade high explosives that can detonate at great depth. The blasts occurred in late September 2022, with reports giving 26 and 27 September as the date.

Kuznetsov was arrested in Italy on 21 August 2025, while on holiday there with his family, and was later extradited to Germany. Prosecutors allege he acted on behalf of unidentified Ukrainian state entities. Kyiv denies any official involvement in operations against the pipelines.

The defence's case

Defence lawyer Nicola Canestrini argued at the start of the trial that the pipeline, which supplied half of Germany's gas imports before Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, was a 'Russian weapon' and therefore a potentially legitimate target. His team asked the court to dismiss the case, citing procedural defects that they say make a proper defence impossible. Canestrini put the question directly to the court.

Is it unlawful to destroy an aggressor's infrastructure without harming any human beings?

In his opening statement, fellow defence lawyer Jes Meyer-Lohkamp said the accusation of a leading role was unproven and rested essentially on the fact that Kuznetsov is neither a diver, an explosives expert nor an experienced sailor. He added that there were no fingerprints, DNA traces or witness statements placing Kuznetsov aboard the Andromeda. Canestrini also said that Kuznetsov's duties as an officer to keep military secrets stop him from speaking on some aspects of the case.

He has to mount a defence with his hands tied

Background and next steps

Bayerischer Rundfunk reports that Russia had cut the gas flow through Nord Stream 1 about three weeks before the blasts, citing technical problems, while Nord Stream 2 never entered operation. Russia said on Monday, 12 October, that it expected a 'just verdict' that would name the perpetrators and those who ordered the operation. The court has not yet said when it will decide on the defence's request to halt the proceedings. Hearing dates have already been set through February 2027, according to N-tv.