German investigators have reported that the individuals responsible for the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines are believed to have connections to Ukraine, according to Der Spiegel and ZDF. The evidence pointing towards Ukraine is seen as particularly convincing, while there is no reliable evidence suggesting Russia’s involvement.
The investigation is currently focused on a sailing yacht named ‘Andromeda,’ which is believed to have been used by the alleged saboteurs to plant explosives on the pipelines. Traces of these explosives were reportedly found in the yacht’s cabin. Technical data retrieved and evaluated by law enforcement officials confirms that the group that used the yacht was in Ukraine before and after the explosions in the Baltic Sea in September 2022.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the yacht was chartered by a Ukrainian-owned travel agency based in Warsaw. It was also moored at a Polish port before sailing near the locations where the explosions occurred. These findings further support the belief that the perpetrators have ties to Ukraine.
It has been discovered that the alleged saboteurs used a fake Moldovan passport in the name of Stefan Marcu to rent the yacht. However, the real Stefan Marcu, who was contacted by Der Spiegel and ZDF, denied any involvement in the sabotage and stated that he did not leave Moldova in September 2022. The passport in question had expired in October of the same year, and Marcu claimed to have burned it.
The photo presented in the fake document used to charter the yacht belongs to a young man named Valery K., according to the German media’s investigation. Valery K. is said to be from the Ukrainian city of Dnieper. Der Spiegel and ZDF obtained a picture of him in a military uniform, along with data indicating his service in the Ukrainian army’s 93rd mechanized brigade. He also reportedly attended diving courses. However, investigators could not confirm a match between Valery K.’s alleged DNA and the traces found on the ‘Andromeda’ after searching his apartment in Frankfurt on the Oder.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany, were destroyed by underwater explosions near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022. Western media outlets have repeatedly claimed that the evidence in the case points to Ukraine, although Kiev has denied any involvement.
As the investigation continues, German authorities are working to uncover more evidence to determine the full extent of Ukraine’s potential involvement in the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines. The findings of this investigation could have significant implications for the geopolitical landscape in the region and potentially impact diplomatic relations between Germany, Russia, and Ukraine.
Source link
