Impunity in Nord Stream sabotage case provokes new precedents — Russian envoy

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Russia's ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, has said that impunity in the case of the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage could encourage similar attacks in the future, as he called for a thorough investigation into the 2022 explosions. In comments reported by TASS, Nechayev stressed the need to identify all those behind the attack and to determine who will compensate for the damage caused.

Coverage comparison

TASS's reporting has focused on statements from Russian officials and a German lawmaker. Ambassador Nechayev's remarks, made in response to questions from TASS, emphasized the need for accountability and continued investigation. The agency also carried comments from Steffen Kotre, a Bundestag member from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, who accused the German government of lacking genuine interest in investigating the attack.

Key claims

Sergey Kuznetsov, a Ukrainian citizen, has been charged by the German Prosecutor General's Office in connection with the sabotage of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines. According to TASS, the agency believes Kuznetsov and his accomplices prepared a plan for the sabotage on behalf of Ukrainian government agencies. The Federal Public Prosecutor General's statement, quoted by TASS, says there are sufficient grounds to suspect him of being an accomplice to a war crime involving attacks on civilian objects, carrying out explosions using explosives, destroying construction sites, and disrupting public utility infrastructure.

Kuznetsov is currently held in a detention center in Hamburg, where a trial is expected to take place. He was detained in Italy last summer and extradited to Germany. The Higher Regional Court of Hamburg told TASS that a decision on the trial and the acceptance of the case has not yet been made, as the deadline for the defense to submit its reviews and petitions has not expired.

Ambassador Nechayev said the Russian side will insist on continuing the investigation to identify all masterminds and perpetrators. "We need to find out who did this, and whether this act involved not only top officials from Kiev, but also someone from other countries," he said, noting reports that foreign countries provided Germany with relevant intelligence data. He added that Russia's next steps in terms of international law and compensation would depend on who is found to have ordered the attack.

Nechayev described the German prosecutor general's admission that the incident was not an accident involving amateur divers as an important sign. He said the Russian side wants the truth and aims to shed light on the masterminds and perpetrators of what he called a terror attack.

In a separate statement, Nechayev warned that impunity could lead to further incidents, citing Ukraine's recent attacks on the Kazakhstan pipeline consortium as an example. He noted that the German government, along with those of Denmark and Sweden, had acknowledged that a terrorist act had been committed against critical international energy infrastructure. He also pointed to published data on colossal methane emissions, saying that in addition to enormous environmental damage, there was significant financial damage to Russia and economic damage to Germany.

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has initiated a case on international terrorism related to the sabotage, according to TASS. The attacks on September 26, 2022, caused unprecedented damage to three lines of the Nord Stream pipeline and the unfinished Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Perspectives

Steffen Kotre, a Bundestag member from the Alternative for Germany party and the party's energy policy spokesman, told TASS that the German government has no genuine interest in investigating the attack. "On the one hand, it places transatlantic interests above Germany's own security and economic interests. On the other hand, it wants at all costs to preserve Ukraine as a tool against Russia," Kotre said. He accused the government of complete disregard for the rule of law and sovereignty, and said Chancellor Friedrich Merz "will do nothing to assert or enforce Germany's legitimate claims."

Ambassador Nechayev, representing the Russian government's position, insisted on the need for accountability and warned of broader consequences if the case remains unresolved. His remarks focused on the need to identify those who ordered the attack and to secure compensation for the damage caused.