A Ukrainian former military officer stayed silent while he stood trial in Germany over the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline bombings.
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he → stay → bombings
Sergiy Kuznietsov, 50, is accused of leading a group of divers, an explosives expert, and a boat captain who planted explosives on the pipelines designed to carry Russian gas to Europe.
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who → accuse → Europe
He entered the courtroom in the northern city of Hamburg on Wednesday and gave his personal details in response to questions from a judge.
However, Kuznietsov has refused to testify during the trial as ex-members of Ukraine's special forces are banned from speaking publicly about their work in the military, news magazine Stern reported on Wednesday.
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magazine → enter → Wednesday
Kuznietsov, who was arrested in Italy last year and extradited to Germany, is facing charges that include carrying out a 'war crime', attacking civilian infrastructure and causing an explosion.
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that → arrest → explosion
Three out of four Nord Stream pipelines were seriously damaged by a series of blasts under the Baltic Sea in September 2022, seven months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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pipelines → damage → Ukraine
While some in the West were quick to accuse Russia of sabotaging its own export route, German investigators identified a cell of Ukrainians they say were the alleged perpetrators.
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they → accuse → Ukrainians
A group of pro-Ukrainian demonstrators staged a protest outside the court before the trial opened.
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trial → stag → court
They held placards saying 'Russia is a terrorist', and 'What are war crimes? A blown-up pipeline? Or the bombing of buildings and the killing of people?
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Russia → hold → people
Sergiy Kuznietsov (centre)sits between his lawyers as he attends his trial in Hamburg, Germany, October 14, 2026
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he → attend → Hamburg
This file handout photo taken on September 28, 2022 from an aircraft of the Swedish Coast Guard (Kustbevakningen) shows the release of gas emanating from a leak on the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, in the Swedish economic zone in the Baltic Sea
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photo → take → Sea
According to the indictment, Kuznietsov entered Germany in early September 2022 using a forged Ukrainian passport and, together with the rest of the sabotage team, boarded a rented yacht in the German Baltic Sea port city of Rostock.
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Kuznietsov → accord → Rostock
The yacht was allegedly loaded with large quantities of military-grade explosives, and set sail for a spot where the pipelines ran under the Baltic Sea near the Danish island of Bornholm.
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pipelines → load → Bornholm
Divers then allegedly planted explosive charges equipped with timers on the pipelines, which blew up several days later.
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which → plant → pipelines
Kuznietsov's lawyers unsuccessfully tried to challenge the German court's jurisdiction over the attacks, and have suggested they may argue that the pipelines were legitimate military targets in Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion.
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pipelines → try → invasion
The pipelines were built and owned by a corporate consortium led by Russian energy giant Gazprom.
At the time of the blasts, none were in operation.
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none → build → operation
Moscow had already suspended gas deliveries to western Europe through Nord Stream 1, comprising two pipelines, after the European Union imposed sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
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Union → suspend → Ukraine
Nord Stream 2, also made up of two pipelines, had only just been completed and never entered service.
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Stream → make → service
When asked by AFP what Russia expected from the trial, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he expects 'that those who carried it out will be named, along with those who ordered it'.
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who → ask → it
'I don't think anybody has any doubt about who it really is,' Peskov added.
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Peskov → think → doubt
A senior Ukrainian official, meanwhile, told AFP that Kyiv has 'no expectations from the trial'.
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Kyiv → tell → trial
Kyiv has consistently denied orchestrating the sabotage.
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Kyiv → deny → sabotage
But it has made no secret of its satisfaction with the results, saying that with the pipelines rendered inoperable, Moscow's ability to fund its war was weakened.
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ability → make → war
Another suspect, partially identified as Volodymyr Z. and accused of taking part in the sabotage as a diver, was arrested in Croatia in August.
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suspect → identify → August
A Croatian court has approved his extradition to Germany, although he is appealing the decision.
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he → approve → decision
According to media reports, Volodymyr Z. was advising the makers of a Hollywood film inspired by the sabotage, with Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody tapped to portray the leader of the sabotage unit.
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Brody → accord → unit
Volodymyr Z. had previously been arrested in Poland but was freed after a Polish judge refused to extradite him to Germany, ruling that the sabotage of the pipelines was justified as part of Ukraine's defence.
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sabotage → arrest → defence
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Germany has become Kyiv's leading military backer and regularly accuses Russia of sabotage and espionage on its soil.
But the Nord Stream sabotage remains a sensitive subject in Germany.
Some have blamed the attacks for helping to drive up energy prices and worsening a gas crisis that rocked Europe's biggest economy.
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that → become → economy
The Aporia
