Germany Issues Warrants for 7 Ukrainians in Nord Stream Case

German authorities have issued arrest warrants for seven people in the case of the explosions of the "Nord Stream" and "Nord Stream 2" gas pipelines. The Wall Street Journal reports this, citing its sources.

According to the publication, German investigators, by tracking boat rental companies, phone numbers, and vehicle data, have concluded that an elite Ukrainian military unit could have been behind the sabotage. The arrest warrants have been issued for three soldiers from a Ukrainian special unit and four experienced divers.

This development threatens to undermine European support for Ukraine. Poland has already refused to extradite one of the suspects, calling him a hero who struck an economic source of funding for Russia's war. "The problem is not that the pipeline was blown up. The problem is that it was built at all," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk ironically noted. In Germany, too, politicians fear that the case could cause a rift among Kyiv's allies.

Investigators have identified one of the group's commanders, Sergey K., a 46-year-old veteran of the Security Service of Ukraine, who was arrested in Italy. The decision of the Italian court on his extradition will determine whether this case will turn into a full-scale diplomatic crisis.