Nord Stream may have been lawful target, argue lawyers for Ukrainian accused of bombing

In the footage obtained by France 24, his face remains blurred, but his identity has since been revealed. This is Sergei Kuznetsov, the man accused of leading a group of Ukrainian agents who blew up Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines to Germany back in 2022. He continues to deny any involvement in the explosions, which damaged the 1,200-kilometer-long pipeline crossing the Baltic Sea. The prosecution has accused him of committing a war crime on behalf of Ukrainian state agencies. Investigative findings indicate sufficient grounds to suspect that the act was carried out on behalf of a foreign state. The allegation of a war crime is based primarily on the fact that the gas pipelines that were attacked were not legitimate military targets, but rather civilian objects. Kuznetsov's lawyers rejected this accusation, arguing the gas pipelines were legitimate targets because Russia used them to finance its war against Ukraine. They also argued that as a former soldier, Kuznetsov is bound to secrecy and cannot defend himself, preventing him from having a fair trial. Our main concern is that the client cannot speak for himself and therefore cannot defend himself. In a state governed by the rule of law, someone who cannot defend himself cannot be convicted. The trial could prove awkward for diplomatic ties, Germany being Ukraine's main military backer. Kyiv has denied any involvement and says it does not expect anything from the trial. Hearings are scheduled in Hamburg until February and the suspect could face several years in prison.