08/15 – International News Story

In September 2022, the Nord Stream gas pipelines, a critical energy conduit running from Russia to Germany, were rocked by subsea explosions, marking the most significant attack on Germany’s energy infrastructure since World War II. 

The blasts, which crippled three of the four pipelines, sparked international controversy and a flurry of accusations as to who was responsible, with Russia, Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom all being mentioned as potential culprits.

A new development has emerged in the investigation, as German authorities issued a warrant in June for the arrest of Ukrainian diving instructor Vladimir Zhuravlev. [Politico]

Zhuravlev is suspected of orchestrating the attack, which involved chartering a yacht named “Andromeda” and using diving gear to plant explosives near the pipelines under the Baltic Sea, close to the Danish island of Bornholm.

According to reports from German news program Tagesschau, Zhuravlev’s involvement has been a focal point for investigators, who are led to believe that the operation was carried out by a group of Ukrainian citizens. 

The Nord Stream pipelines have been a subject of intense debate and criticism for years, particularly from Ukraine, the United States, and Poland, who argued that Germany’s reliance on Russian gas compromised European energy security. This criticism only intensified following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

Although Nord Stream 1 had been operational since 2011, and Nord Stream 2 was completed but not yet active, the pipelines became untenable in the geopolitical climate of the time.

Despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s firm denial of his country’s involvement—stating, “I would never act that way”—reports have surfaced suggesting that plans to attack the pipelines were in motion as early as 2014. Documents leaked online and reported by The Washington Post indicated that the U.S. had intelligence about a possible Ukrainian plan to target the Baltic Sea gas links three months before the explosions.  [Politico] 

Information is still speculative as some Western and German intelligence officials have expressed doubts about Ukraine’s culpability, suggesting the possibility of a “false flag operation” designed to disguise Russian involvement. This theory has gained traction, particularly in Polish security circles, which have even provided German intelligence with the names of Russian suspects. Yet, German investigators remained unconvinced, opting instead to pursue Zhuravlev as their primary suspect. [Politico] 

Further complicating the case, Denmark and Sweden launched their own investigations into the explosions but ultimately suspended their inquiries without naming any suspects. German authorities, however, pressed forward, eventually identifying Zhuravlev with the help of photos and witness testimonies. 

A warrant for his arrest was transmitted to Poland in June, but by then, Zhuravlev had already fled the country, returning to Ukraine in early July. Polish authorities confirmed that Zhuravlev was not apprehended due to a failure to enter his name into an international law enforcement database. [Politico] 

The case also implicated two additional suspects, Svitlana and Yevhen Uspensky, a married couple who run a diving school in Ukraine and who allegedly employed Zhuravlev. In an interview with POLITICO, Svitlana Uspenska denied any involvement, asserting that she was in Kyiv at the time of the attack and that her diving capabilities were insufficient for such an operation, which required expertise at depths of 70 to 80 meters. Uspenska, now residing in Poland, has threatened to sue German media outlets for defamation.

As the investigation continues, the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines remains shrouded in mystery, with questions about responsibility and motive still unresolved. 

The incident not only underscores the fragility of Europe’s energy infrastructure but also highlights the complexities of the geopolitical landscape in the wake of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.