Nord Stream: Ukraine denies any involvement in the explosions and proposes a joint investigation with Germany

The Ukrainian prosecutor general stated on Thursday that no evidence gathered so far implicated Kyiv in the explosions that destroyed the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022. Ukrainian authorities also proposed the creation of a joint investigation team with Germany, which suspects actors linked to the Ukrainian state of being behind the operation.

The explosions in the Baltic Sea in September 2022 severely damaged Nord Stream 1, a vital pipeline for Russian gas exports to Europe, as well as Nord Stream 2, which had not yet been commissioned. The sabotage occurred a few months after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's office indicated that the investigation conducted so far had revealed "no evidence" showing that Ukraine, its official institutions or officials had participated in the explosions or given orders related to this operation on behalf of the Ukrainian state.

Ukrainian authorities acknowledged, however, that the investigation was ongoing and that new evidence continued to be gathered and analyzed. Kyiv offered to collaborate with Berlin in a joint task force to facilitate the exchange of information between the two countries.

This reaction comes after the German federal prosecutor's office last week indicted a former Ukrainian army officer, identified as Serhii K., for his alleged role in planning the explosions. German investigators accuse him of acting with other military personnel to plan and execute the operation on behalf of unidentified Ukrainian state entities.

Arrested in Italy in August before being transferred to Germany in November, Serhii K. denies the accusations against him. According to German prosecutors, the operation's objective was to disrupt Russian gas deliveries to Europe and limit the financial resources enabling Moscow to continue its war effort.

The Nord Stream affair remains one of the most significant acts of sabotage in recent years in Europe and continues to be investigated in several countries, while the exact responsibilities behind the explosions remain disputed.