Zelensky Denies Ukraine's Involvement in Nord Stream Pipeline Bombings

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied that Ukraine played any role in the 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. He addressed the topic while answering journalists' questions about recent developments in the case, including the detention of a second suspect, during a meeting of leaders from the Nordic-Baltic Eight countries.

"We discussed this at a high level with the German side. They are well aware that Ukraine did not stand behind the execution or the very conception of this operation," Zelensky said.

He added that Ukraine remains ready to assist its partners with the investigation, noting that maintaining the trust and partnership of European countries is important to Kyiv. He said Ukraine is fully open to joint steps as part of the probe.

Background

The Nord Stream pipelines exploded overnight on September 26, 2022, near Denmark's Bornholm island in the Baltic Sea, damaging three of the four lines. The Wall Street Journal later reported that a group of Ukrainian officers had planned the operation back in May 2022.

In late August 2025, Italy detained retired Ukrainian Armed Forces captain Serhiy Kuznetsov at Germany's request; he was later extradited to Germany, where his trial has begun. In late September of that year, diving instructor Volodymyr Zhuravlev was detained in Poland in connection with the case, but a Warsaw court refused to extradite him to Germany and released him. Nearly a year later, on August 19, 2026, Zhuravlev was reportedly detained by Croatian authorities.