The German weekly "Der Spiegel" has revealed that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency may have known about plans to blow up the Nord Stream pipeline as early as spring 2022. According to informants, CIA agents met with a Ukrainian sabotage group in Kyiv to discuss operational details. Although the Americans initially expressed interest in the project, they ultimately advised Kyiv against carrying out the attack, which led to permanent damage to key energy infrastructure on the Baltic Sea floor in July 2022.

Meeting in Kyiv

Representatives of CIA are said to have met with Ukrainian saboteurs in spring 2022 to discuss plans for an attack on the Nord Stream pipeline.

Zaluzhnyi's Decision

The operation is said to have been approved by General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, completely bypassing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the decision-making process.

U.S. Intelligence Denial

A CIA spokesperson described the German press reports as completely false, despite precise findings by investigative journalists.

Operation Leader in Custody

The alleged perpetrator, Serhiy K., is currently in German investigative custody, forming the foundation of the current criminal proceedings.

According to the latest findings by investigative journalists from the weekly "Der Spiegel", the first meeting between representatives of CIA and the Ukrainian team planning the sabotage is said to have taken place in spring 2022 in Kyiv's Podil district. Sources indicate that both parties had known each other for years, which facilitated confidential dialogue about the planned attack on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. The publication notes that although the idea originated from the Ukrainian side, American agents initially did not object, but ultimately Washington changed its mind and formally advised against implementing the venture. Despite the negative stance of the United States in the later phase, the operation was carried out under the leadership of Serhiy K., a special forces officer who is currently in German custody. The construction of the Nord Stream pipeline has been controversial since 2005, when an agreement was signed between Germany and Russia, which Poland and the Baltic states considered a threat to Central Europe's energy security.The political thread of the publication reveals deep divisions within the Ukrainian power apparatus. According to reports, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhnyi allegedly approved the operation without consulting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This military command's unilateral action sheds new light on crisis management in Kyiv during the first months of the Russian invasion. A CIA spokesperson officially denied these reports, calling them "completely false", but German investigators from the Federal Criminal Police Office confirm that information from "Spiegel" informants has repeatedly proven accurate. September 2022 — is the date of the sabotage in the Baltic Sea The investigation currently focuses on two Ukrainian citizens, including the aforementioned Serhiy K., whose arrest in 2025 was a breakthrough in the case. German prosecutors are also examining the role of private sponsors who allegedly financed the charter of the yacht Andromeda, used to transport explosives. Minister Radosław Sikorski commented on the matter, criticizing suggestions of intelligence cooperation as scandalous, referencing his widely shared social media post shortly after the incident. Timeline of Events Around Nord Stream: — ; — ; — ; — „Scandalous suggestions.” — Radosław Sikorski

Mentioned People

  • Radosław Sikorski — Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, who commented on the reports as scandalous.
  • Wałerij Załużny — Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who allegedly approved the attack.
  • Serhij K. — Officer of Ukrainian special forces, alleged leader of the sabotage group.