US intelligence knew about Ukrainian plans to sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines far earlier than previously reported, according to reports in the German media.
In a news report on Thursday, Der Spiegel said CIA officers met with Ukrainian operatives in spring 2022 to discuss plans for destroying the pipelines that carried Russian natural gas to Germany along the Baltic Sea seabed.
Ukrainian sources told the magazine that American officials initially reacted positively to the idea and engaged in talks about technical aspects of the operation.
Later, however, the US intelligence reversed course and warned against proceeding.
A CIA spokesperson rejected the claims, telling Der Spiegel they were "completely and utterly false." The magazine stood by its report, citing credible information from multiple sources.
The sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022 caused extensive damage to the infrastructure connecting Russia and Germany beneath the Baltic Sea. The Ukrainian government has repeatedly denied involvement.
Some reports have claimed the operation was approved by then-army chief Valery Zaluzhny without informing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Covert operations and sabotage
German authorities have identified a suspect from the sabotage team as Serhiy Kuznetsov. He was arrested in Italy and extradited to Germany in late November to stand trial.
According to German media reports, he is a former agent of Ukraine's intelligence service, the SBU, and belonged to a unit specialising in covert operations and sabotage.
Authorities revealed his identity after investigating the rental of a yacht named Andromeda, which served as the operational base for the mission.
Investigators determined the team traveled to Germany and rented the yacht using forged identity documents.
Kuznetsov is believed to have been part of a seven-member team that included divers, assistants, a captain, and a medic.
Authorities suspect he acted as a coordinator rather than one of the operatives who physically attached the explosives.
