On October 27, the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg rejected the defense's motion to discontinue the criminal proceedings in the case of the bombing of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines by Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov. The court decided to continue the case, despite the objections of the defendant's lawyers.
The decision was made during the second court hearing, reports German public broadcaster Tagesschau, citing the court.
The defense of the 50-year-old former officer of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces insisted that his client cannot expect a fair trial due to obligations to maintain military secrecy.
According to the lawyers, Kuznetsov is not allowed to disclose information related to his former military service. This allegedly prevents him from discussing the circumstances of the case even with his own defense team and from providing testimony that could prove his innocence. Severe sanctions in Ukraine may threaten him for violating the non-disclosure obligations.
However, the court rejected these arguments. Presiding Judge Anne Meier-Göring explained that German law does not limit the defendant's right to defense due to non-disclosure requirements imposed by another state.
Thus, the court found no obstacles to continuing the criminal proceedings. After rejecting the motion, it is planned to hear an expert from the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany, who is to provide explanations regarding the nature of the damage to the pipelines and the causes of the explosions.
Kuznetsov is accused of organizing sabotage on the underwater gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea in September 2022. According to the German prosecution, he led a group of seven people who allegedly placed explosive devices near the Danish island of Bornholm.
He is charged with a war crime involving the use of prohibited methods of warfare against civilian infrastructure, as well as causing an explosion, destruction of structures, and disruption of public infrastructure operations. The defense denies his involvement in the bombings.
The explosions on September 26, 2022, damaged three of the four strings of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, laid to transport Russian gas to Germany.
The trial against Kuznetsov began on October 14, 2026. The Ukrainian was detained in Italy in August 2025 and later extradited to Germany. Ukrainian authorities have previously denied state involvement in the bombing of the pipelines.
The rejection of the defense's motion is a procedural decision and does not mean that Kuznetsov is found guilty. The examination of the charges on the merits will continue.
Based on materials from: Tagesschau, dpa, Курс України
