Zelensky says Ukraine had no role in Nord Stream pipeline blasts

Volodymyr Zelensky denied that Ukraine played any role in the 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

Zelensky fielded questions from journalists about developments in the case, including the recent 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.

Zelensky also said Ukraine is “always ready to help” its partners with the investigation, noting that preserving the trust and partnership of European countries matters to Kyiv. “That’s why we are completely open to joint steps as part of the investigation,” he added.

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

Italy detained retired Ukrainian Armed Forces captain Serhiy Kuznetsov at Germany’s request in late August 2025, on suspicion of involvement in the sabotage. He was later extradited to Germany, where his trial began.

Diving instructor Volodymyr Zhuravlev was detained in Poland in late September of the same year in connection with the pipeline bombing case, but a court in Warsaw refused to extradite him to Germany and released him. Nearly a year later, on August 19, 2026, Croatian authorities detained Zhuravlev, according to a report.