The operation to blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines was privately financed and cost almost $300,000.
This was reported by the German publication Spiegel, citing sources, as reported by TUT. NEWS .
According to Spiegel, the plan for the operation was approved by the then commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhny, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was allegedly not informed.
The group of saboteurs was prepared and led by former Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officer Roman Chervinsky.
The group included several divers, a skipper and a professional military man.
The publication notes that as a result of its own investigation it has established the identities of the saboteurs, but will not disclose them.
The operation was privately funded and cost nearly $300,000.
Spiegel also writes that Washington allegedly tried to prevent the operation from taking place.