Russia has on numerous occasions alleged that Western intelligence services were behind the targeting of the pipelines
Valery Zaluzhny, formerly Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, ordered the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022, German newspaper Die Welt reported on Monday, citing an investigator familiar with the case.
According to the newspaper, German investigators believe they have resolved the case of the attacks on Nord Stream 1 and 2, pipelines constructed to transport Russian natural gas directly to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea.
Earlier Western media reports had indicated that authorities already knew the identities of the entire crew – reportedly Ukrainian nationals – aboard the yacht Andromeda, which is suspected of being the vessel involved in the sabotage. Die Welt claimed these individuals were acting under orders from Zaluzhny, who was dismissed from his role in February 2024 and now serves as Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK.
A previous report from Der Spiegel in September 2024 also claimed Zaluzhny gave the green light for the attack, while a subsequent article by Der Spiegel stated that the general was so impressed by the operation that he wished to expand it to target Russia’s TurkStream pipeline in the Black Sea – though this effort was thwarted. Zaluzhny has denied any involvement in the sabotage.
However, according to Die Welt, some experts remain skeptical about the alleged Ukrainian role, suggesting the saboteurs behaved too conspicuously. “All nonsense,” an official familiar with the investigation was quoted as saying by the paper. He also accused those who suspect Russia or the US of orchestrating the attack of believing in conspiracy theories.
In contrast, Nikolay Patrushev, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed the sabotage could not have been carried out without Western commandos, singling out Britain as the probable culprit and arguing that Ukrainians lack the necessary expertise.
Putin had previously suggested that US intelligence agencies under President Joe Biden orchestrated the sabotage.