Hamburg court hears witnesses in Nord Stream sabotage trial: gas supply impact and sailboat lead

In brief

• A Federal Network Agency representative told the Hamburg court that Nord Stream 1 deliveries had already stopped before the blasts, limiting their effect on German gas supply.
• Prosecutors accuse Ukrainian ex-officer Serhii Kuznetsov, 50, of leading a six-person team behind the explosions near Bornholm.
• A BKA investigator testified that the group rented the sailboat Andromeda for about €11,000 in August and September 2022.

Gas supply impact

He was called as a witness on the fourth day of the trial. Prosecutors allege Kuznetsov, a former special forces officer of the Ukrainian armed forces, led a team of six others that caused the explosions south of the Danish island of Bornholm (У Німеччині суд вирішив, що вибухи на "Північних потоках" не дуже вплинули на газопостачання країни – Українська правда).

Charges

The Federal Prosecutor's Office accuses Kuznetsov, 50, of war crimes through the use of prohibited methods of warfare by attacking civilian infrastructure, as well as causing an explosion, destroying buildings and disrupting utilities. The case is heard at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg.

The sailboat lead

Investigators began searching for a suitable vessel after intelligence from the domestic intelligence service arrived on 14 October 2022. Of about ten companies checked in Rostock, one remained that fit the requirements (Эксперт Эртель оценил интенсивность утечки газа при подрыве "Севпотоков" - Рамблер/новости – rambler.ru). Reports say the group wanted a yacht without a skipper and without an automatic identification system.

Danger to shipping

A specialist from the University of the Bundeswehr in Hamburg told the court that small vessels near the blasts would have had no chance and would certainly have sunk, while medium and large ships could have suffered injuries or damage but probably would not have capsized.

Verification note

The gas-supply testimony comes from a Ukrainian outlet relaying Spiegel. The sailboat details were also reported by TASS, a Russian state-controlled agency, and have not been confirmed by German or Ukrainian media in the sources reviewed; German public broadcaster NDR independently reports the sailboat as a key trail.

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