German prosecutors have issued the first arrest warrant in their investigation into the undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany in 2022. Reports suggest that a Ukrainian man named Wolodymyr Z. residing in Poland is the suspect, but the prosecutor’s office has not commented on these claims. The explosions occurred in September 2022, causing damage to the pipelines and adding to tensions amid the war in Ukraine. Swedish and Danish authorities have closed their investigations, leaving the German prosecutors’ case as the sole probe.
The sabotage of the pipelines occurred as Europe sought to reduce its reliance on Russian energy sources following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline was ruptured, and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was damaged and never entered service. Russia has accused the U.S. of staging the explosions, but Washington denies these claims. The U.S. and its allies had previously criticized the pipelines for increasing Europe’s dependence on Russian gas.
In March 2023, German media reported that a pro-Ukraine group might have been involved in the sabotage, although Ukraine denies any involvement. Traces of undersea explosives were found in samples taken from a yacht searched as part of the investigation. The investigation into the explosions remains ongoing, with the responsible party still unknown.
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