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Arrest in Hamburg: Mastermind of Nord Stream attacks handed over!
On November 28, 2025, Serhij K., suspected mastermind of the Nord Stream attacks, was arrested in Hamburg. Investigations are ongoing.
Arrest in Hamburg: Mastermind of Nord Stream attacks handed over!
On November 28, 2025, in a spectacular operation, a suspected mastermind of the dramatic attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022 was transferred to Hamburg. How NDR reported that it was the Ukrainian citizen Serhij K., who was brought to Hamburg by helicopter and is now to be taken into custody.
Serhij K. was previously imprisoned in Italy for three months after being arrested in Misano Adriatico in August 2025. The arrest was made by German police officers based on a European arrest warrant issued on Monday. When he was arrested, Serhij K. denied the allegations on Polish television, but the evidence against him appears to be overwhelming.
The attacks and their consequences
The explosions that damaged pipelines on September 26, 2022 had a significant impact on the geopolitical situation in Europe, especially as they contributed to the escalation of tensions related to the Ukraine conflict. The two pipelines, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, were primarily intended to transport Russian natural gas to Germany, although Nord Stream 2 was never put into operation. German prosecutors are currently continuing to investigate the case, while investigators already found traces of underwater explosives on a yacht searched as part of the investigation two years ago. This yacht had left the port of Rostock and some suspects had rented it under false identities.
The alleged coordinator Serhij K. is accused of being involved in the attacks, which are viewed as a concerted effort to cause an explosive explosion and as sabotage. The trial against him is to take place at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg, where state security proceedings are heard based on an agreement between the northern German federal states.
Investigations and other suspects
The investigation has shown that a total of seven men were involved in the attacks, including four divers. A Ukrainian diver who was allegedly involved and was in custody in Poland has now been released because the judiciary refused to extradite him. The general situation surrounding the Nord Stream attacks remains tense, while pressure is increasing on German prosecutors to bring clarity to this complex case.
In the political landscape, Serhij K.'s arrest comes as a “very impressive investigative success,” according to the assessment of German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig. It remains to be seen whether and when other suspects will be brought to justice in this case. The investigations by the Swedish and Danish authorities, which were closed in 2024, leave Germany as the only cross-national investigative body.
At a time when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is shaping the global economy and geopolitical relations, it is even more important to investigate such incidents transparently in order to ensure trust in international security. It remains to be hoped whether the further procedural steps can also help to clarify the background to the attacks.