A decorated colonel in Ukraine’s special forces was the “coordinator” of the underwater explosions that rocked the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in September 2022, roiling Europe’s energy markets amid Ukraine’s war with Russia, a report said Saturday.
Though he did not act alone or plan the clandestine operation, Col. Roman Chervinsky allegedly played an integral role in its execution, according to a joint investigation by the Washington Post and German outlet Der Spiegel, which cited several anonymous sources with knowledge of the operation, including officials in Ukraine.
Chervinsky — who, through his attorney, denied any role in the sabotage — allegedly orchestrated logistics for the six-person team that pulled off the daring bombing below the surface of the Baltic Sea, the report said.
In late September 2022, a string of blasts opened massive leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which carry natural gas from Russia to Germany — bypassing Ukraine and holding the potential to pump massive income into Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.