German prosecutors issue arrest warrant in Nord Stream pipeline sabotage

German prosecutors have issued their first arrest warrant in connection with the 2022 undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which run between Russia and Germany. The suspect is a Ukrainian man identified as "Wolodymyr Z." According to reports, he had been living in Poland but left the country before he could be apprehended.

The warrant was issued in June, and Polish prosecutors confirmed they received it from German authorities. However, they were unable to arrest the suspect because he had crossed into Ukraine by early July. The German federal prosecutor's office has not commented on the reports.

The explosions, which occurred on September 26, 2022, severely damaged the pipelines built to transport Russian natural gas to Germany. The incident intensified tensions as Europe was already moving away from relying on Russian energy due to the war in Ukraine. The cause of the sabotage remains unclear, and while Swedish and Danish authorities closed their investigations in February, the German probe continues.

Russia has accused the United States of being behind the explosions, a claim Washington denies. Earlier reports suggested that a pro-Ukraine group might have been involved, but Ukraine has denied any involvement. Traces of explosives were reportedly found on a yacht searched during the investigation, but the full details remain undisclosed.

German officials, including government spokesperson Wolfgang Büchner, have emphasized that finding out who was responsible for the sabotage is a top priority.

[Source: AP News]