A former Ukrainian army officer accused of orchestrating the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines appeared in a Hamburg court on Wednesday as the first suspect to face trial for the 2022 attacks.

Serhii Kuznetsov, identified in proceedings as Serhii K. under German privacy rules, faces charges including being an accomplice to a war crime for attacking civilian infrastructure, causing explosions, damaging property, and disrupting public services. Prosecutors allege he led a team of divers and an explosives expert who used a rented yacht to place timed devices on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022.

The blasts severely damaged three of the four Nord Stream pipelines, which had carried Russian natural gas to Germany. The explosions occurred months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and amid Europe's efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy.

Kuznetsov, 50, denies the charges. His defense team immediately called for the case to be dismissed, arguing that only circumstantial evidence exists after four years of investigation. The defendant listened to proceedings via Ukrainian translation and appeared relaxed, according to reports from the courtroom.

The trial at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court is expected to last months, with 16 dates scheduled through December and additional hearings planned into early 2027. A second suspect remains in custody in Croatia fighting extradition.

Germany, a major supporter of Ukraine since the 2022 invasion, has pursued the case despite the political sensitivities. Ukrainian authorities have denied any state involvement in the operation. Russian officials have called for a full accounting of those responsible.

The proceedings highlight ongoing questions about the attack's origins, which initially drew suspicion toward Russia before investigations turned to Ukrainian operatives. The case tests the limits of wartime actions against infrastructure and the strength of Western alliances formed in response to the conflict.