The trial of Sergey Kaznitsov, a former officer of the Ukrainian special forces, began on Wednesday in the city of Hamburg, Germany. This trial is being held in light of widespread public and media attention. Kaznitsov is accused of leading sabotage operations in September 2022 that resulted in the disruption of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which connected Russia to Germany. These pipelines remain inactive four years after the incident, with no signs of plans to revive them, as Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine approaches its fifth winter.
Charges and Defenses
The German judiciary has accused Kaznitsov of participating in a war crime aimed at targeting civilian infrastructure. However, his defense lawyers argued on Wednesday that the case should be dismissed entirely for multiple reasons. One of the lawyers, Nicola Canistrini, claimed that Kaznitsov's trial is invalid due to the attack on civilian infrastructure. He told the court that the pipeline, which supplied half of Germany's natural gas imports before Russia's attack on Ukraine, is actually considered a "Russian weapon," given the importance of energy revenues for financing Moscow's military.
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Kaznitsov's Position and Reactions
After the charges were read, the judge asked Kaznitsov if he had any comments, but he stated that he was unwilling to speak. His lawyers argued that this silence should be considered a primary reason for dismissing the case. They claimed that Kaznitsov cannot discuss his case or any potential evidence in his favor with anyone, including his lawyers, due to a government-imposed oath of secrecy in Ukraine. Defense attorney Yes Meyer-Lohkamp stated in court, "No one who cannot speak can be tried."
This trial is highly sensitive for Germany due to its political aspects. Germany is recognized as a strong supporter of Ukraine, but investigations have linked Kaznitsov and other suspects. Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has repeatedly denied any Ukrainian involvement in these operations and has also prevented the request for Kaznitsov's extradition to Germany following his arrest in Italy last year.
German Foreign Minister Johan Wadephl refrained from commenting on the trial on Wednesday, stating that the most important thing right now is for the case to proceed without political interference or constraints. He said at a press conference in Berlin, "We will accept any outcome and, of course, take it into account in our political calculations." Court dates for this trial are scheduled until February of next year, but they may change in either direction.
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