Russian Foreign Ministry says Germany evaded cooperation on Nord Stream blasts inquiry
In short
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on 8 October that German authorities had shown no interest in four years in bringing those who ordered the Nord Stream pipeline blasts to justice. She said Germany had evaded cooperation with Russian law enforcement despite international obligations on legal assistance, and that Russia would keep working, including on international platforms, to identify and punish both the perpetrators and the "true authors" of what she called a terrorist attack.
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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on 8 October that German authorities had shown no interest over four years in holding to account those who ordered the explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which she described as a terrorist attack. "The vaunted, impartial, independent German Themis has shown no interest in four years in establishing the truth and bringing the initiators and those who ordered this terrorist attack to account," she said, according to RIA Novosti. [ 1 ]
Zakharova said that, contrary to international obligations on legal assistance in criminal matters and anti-terrorism conventions, Germany had evaded cooperation with Russian law enforcement in investigating a crime against an object of European critical infrastructure. Interfax and Kommersant carried the same accusation. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
She said Russia would consistently continue its work, including on international platforms, to identify and punish not only the perpetrators but also the "true authors" of what she called an unprecedented terrorist attack, Interfax reported. TASS and Kommersant also reported the pledge that the perpetrators and authors must be punished. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
According to RIA Novosti, the explosions on the Russian export pipelines Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 occurred on 26 September 2022. Germany, Denmark and Sweden did not rule out deliberate sabotage, and the operator Nord Stream AG said the damage was unprecedented. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office opened a case on an act of international terrorism, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had repeatedly requested data on the blasts without receiving it. [ 1 ]
RIA Novosti also reported that at the end of June Germany's federal prosecutors charged Ukrainian citizen Sergei Kuznetsov (Сергей Кузнецов) with coordinating the attack, and that a trial against him is expected; the start date is cut off in the available text. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The remarks restate Moscow's dispute with Berlin over the investigation of the September 2022 explosions, which RIA Novosti noted hit two Russian gas export pipelines. They come as Germany's federal prosecutors pursue a case against a Ukrainian citizen accused of coordinating the attack, according to RIA Novosti, and Russia says it will press the issue on international platforms.
Key facts
- Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova spoke about the Nord Stream blasts at a briefing on Thursday, 8 October. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Zakharova said German justice had shown no interest in four years in establishing the truth and bringing those who ordered the attack to account. [ 1 ]
- She said Germany evaded cooperation with Russian law enforcement despite international obligations on legal assistance in criminal matters and anti-terrorism conventions. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- She said Russia would continue work, including on international platforms, to identify and punish not only the perpetrators but the "true authors" of the attack. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The explosions on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 took place on 26 September 2022. [ 1 ]
- At the end of June, Germany's federal prosecutors charged Ukrainian citizen Sergei Kuznetsov (Сергей Кузнецов) with coordinating the attack, RIA Novosti reported. [ 1 ]
- Russia's Prosecutor General's Office opened a case on an act of international terrorism, RIA Novosti reported. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Zakharova said Germany evaded cooperation with Russian law enforcement in the Nord Stream investigation despite its obligations on legal assistance in criminal matters. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Zakharova said Russia would continue working, including internationally, to identify and punish both the perpetrators and the true authors of the Nord Stream attack. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Zakharova made the remarks at a Foreign Ministry briefing on 8 October. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- When the trial of Sergei Kuznetsov will begin. RIA Novosti's text says the trial will begin approximately at a certain time, but the date is cut off in the available text.
- Who was responsible for the blasts. Russia calls it a terrorist attack and says its true authors are not yet identified; RIA Novosti reports that Germany, Denmark and Sweden did not rule out deliberate sabotage, and German prosecutors have charged one Ukrainian citizen.
- Germany's response to Zakharova's accusations. None of the documents carries a German reaction.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti reports Zakharova's statement that Germany has shown no interest in the truth about the Nord Stream blasts. [ 1 ]
- TASS reports Zakharova saying Russia will continue to identify the true culprits. [ 2 ]
- Interfax reports the Foreign Ministry's pledge to work on identifying the initiators. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reports the pledge to seek the "true authors" of the attack. [ 4 ]