Nord Stream blast trial to continue, Hamburg court rules

The trial of a Ukrainian man accused of masterminding attacks on Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines to Germany will continue, a Hamburg court ruled on Tuesday, rejecting a request by the defence for the proceedings to be discontinued.

Serhiy Kuznetsov's defence had submitted an application for the case to be dismissed, arguing that Kuznetsov, a former Ukrainian officer, was bound by confidentiality and therefore not permitted to consult with his defence lawyers or give evidence in court.

Otherwise, he would face high penalties in Ukraine, the defence team said.

The Hamburg higher regional court rejected that argument.

"According to German law, the defendant is not restricted in his defence," the presiding judge said.

The court's decision means that the trial, which began two weeks ago, will continue immediately, with an expert from the Federal Criminal Police to give evidence regarding the damage to the pipelines and the cause of the explosions.

On September 26, 2022, several explosive devices detonated on the seabed of the Baltic Sea, off the Danish island of Bornholm, at a depth of approximately 80 metres, severely damaging the two Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines. In total, four leaks occurred across three of the four pipeline sections.

Kuznetsov, 50, is standing trial over what was arguably the most spectacular act of sabotage in post-war German history.

Prosecutors accuse him of being the mastermind behind the destruction. He is alleged to have carried out the explosions together with six others.

The charges include war crimes on the grounds that prohibited methods of warfare were used in an attack against civilian objects. Kuznetsov is also accused of causing an explosion, destroying structures and disrupting public utilities.

Before the attack, Nord Stream 1 transported Russian natural gas to Germany, while Nord Stream 2 had not yet entered service.

In the months following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, as tensions with Europe escalated, Moscow had repeatedly reduced or suspended gas deliveries through Nord Stream 1.