Ukrainian army officer faces trial in Germany for Nord Stream blasts

Four years after the Nord Stream blasts, former Ukrainian army officer Serhii Kuznietsov has gone on trial in Hamburg Wednesday and denies involvement in undersea sabotage.

Prosecutors have accused the special-forces veteran of causing an explosion, damaging property, disrupting public service and being an "accomplice to war crimes" by attacking civilian infrastructure.

On September 26, 2022, several Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea were damaged.

Investigators initially pointed fingers at Russia, but the arrests of two Ukrainian nationals raised questions about involvement of Ukrainian state security agencies.

Kuznietsov is the first person to stand trial as he is believed to be the alleged ringleader of the attack.

He does not speak during the first day's two-hour proceedings. The defense team, making the motion for dismissal, argues Kuznietsov is obligated by Ukrainian law not to speak due to secrecy linked to national security.

His lawyer tells the court the pipelines "were a weapon in the hand of the Russians."

The trial is expected to last months.