Serhii Kuznetsov, a Ukrainian man accused of helping to destroy the Nord Stream gas pipelines, went on trial in Hamburg on Wednesday. He denies the charges.
German prosecutors allege that Kuznetsov led a team that attacked the pipelines carrying Russian gas to Germany. They accuse him of directing divers and an explosives expert to target civilian infrastructure and have charged him with a war crime. The blasts took place four years ago, seven months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Kuznetsov, 50, was extradited from Italy to Germany late last year. His defence has asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that the evidence is circumstantial. Another suspect denies the allegations and is contesting extradition from Croatia.
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