Nord Stream probe: German officials trace suspects to Ukraine

German Attorney General Jen Rommel stated in an interview with "Der Spiegel" that the investigation into the pipeline explosions has made progress.

- We have managed to identify two suspects. In my opinion, this is a success that could not have been expected from the beginning - he said.

- The identity of the other accused, the motivation behind the crime, and in particular the issue of possible government control over the operation, are subjects of an ongoing investigation - he added.

Rommel did not provide further information about the suspects. - There was a serious attack on our country's energy supply, which aimed to destabilize the economy and society, regardless of any political agreements - he said when asked about possible Ukrainian involvement in the attack.

German media reported that, according to investigators, three employees of a Kyiv diving school were involved in the attack. The main suspect, Volodymyr S., reportedly fled from Poland to Ukraine in July. According to sources from German media, he might have been warned earlier that Berlin was interested in him.

According to the "Wall Street Journal," the entire operation was prepared by a group of high-ranking Ukrainian officers and businessmen. The plan was reportedly approved by Volodymyr Zelensky, but at the request of the CIA, he ordered the operation to be stopped. However, the former commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny, did not carry out the order.

Zaluzhny, currently the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom, told the newspaper that he knows nothing about such an operation, and any suggestions otherwise are "pure provocation." He further added that Ukrainian armed forces were not authorized to conduct foreign missions and, therefore, could not have been involved. Officially, Kyiv denies involvement in the Nord Stream attack.