Opening of the trial in Germany on the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines.

Almost four years after the explosions, the first trial for the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines begins today in Germany. The proceedings open at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg against a man identified as Serhii K., the only one of the seven Ukrainian suspects to be in the courtroom, accused of complicity in a war crime.

German prosecutors allege that the suspects acted "on behalf of state authorities in Ukraine" with the aim of permanently halting gas deliveries and depriving Russia of revenue to finance the war. Kyiv has always denied any involvement. The trial, with two hearings per week, is scheduled to last at least until February, with no definitive closing date set.

The case risks fueling fierce political controversy in Germany over support for Kyiv, particularly among critics such as the opposition AfD party. Meanwhile, Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently reaffirmed support for Kyiv with a new aid package.

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were submarine infrastructures built to transport natural gas from Russia directly to Germany, bypassing transit countries such as Ukraine and Poland. Majority-owned by Russia's Gazprom and co-financed by major European energy companies, they represented a strategic project for European energy supply.

The explosions that rendered them inoperable occurred in September 2022, just months after Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine (February 2022). According to the German prosecution, as early as the end of that February, some Ukrainian military personnel had planned the sabotage to cut off Russian gas revenues. For four years, investigations have proceeded amidst speculation and leaks.

The German trial is the first to publicly present evidence under oath. Any potential official Ukrainian involvement could have repercussions on bilateral relations, although some analysts believe that Germany's policy of support for Kyiv will endure, given the perception of Russia as a direct threat.