The mystery of who was behind the Nord Stream explosion, which cut pipelines funneling natural gas from Russia to other parts of Europe, has allegedly been solved with the key suspect being Ukrainian officer Roman Chervinsky.
Confusion surrounded the September 2022 blasts in the Baltic Sea, with different theories emerging about who could be behind the act of sabotage as European governments prepared for an energy crisis that winter. Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. all denied being behind the attack.
The explosions led to methane leaks southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm and Danish, Swedish, and German authorities carried out investigations into who could be behind the alleged sabotage.
The explosions further heightened tensions between Russia and the West amid the backdrop of the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that started in February 2022.
A joint investigation by The Washington Post and German publication Der Spiegel singled out Roman Chervinsky as being a key figure behind the blasts.
Here, Newsweek looks at everything that is known so far about the allegations being made about Chervinsky and his alleged role in sabotaging the pipelines.
Who Is Roman Chervinsky?
Chervinsky was allegedly the coordinator behind the explosions, according to the publications’ report that cited anonymous officials from Ukraine and other parts of Europe.
The article claimed Chervinsky oversaw logistics and supported a six-person team who used false identities to rent a sailing boat and use it to plant explosive charges on the pipelines.
According to The Washington Post, Chervinsky was not the mastermind behind the attack and instead took orders from Ukrainian officials.
Through his lawyer, Chervinsky has denied all involvement in the pipeline blasts, according to the report. “All speculations about my involvement in the attack on Nord Stream are being spread by Russia without any basis,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is believed to have not been not briefed about the operation, according to the Post. He has also denied any suggestion that Ukraine was behind the blasts.
Newsweek has contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for comment via email.
Where Is Chervinsky Now?
Chervinsky is currently preparing to stand trial in Kyiv over allegations he abused his power in an attempt to get a Russian pilot to defect.
According to Reuters, Chervinsky’s commanding officer at the time, Major General Viktor Hanuskhchak, told Ukrainian media earlier this year that senior military leaders in the country had signed off on the plot to capture the Russian pilot.
The alleged coordinator has been an outspoken critic of Zelensky’s administration and claimed the case against him is politically motivated.
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.