German officers are raiding premises linked to a former subsidiary of Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom on suspicion of attempted sabotage and complicity in violations of the Foreign Trade Act, prosecutors said on Wednesday, reported dpa.
Federal prosecutors are searching premises in Berlin and at a company in Frankfurt in connection with the former energy group Gazprom Germania, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe said.
There is a suspicion that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was accompanied by a deliberate attempt to disrupt Germany's gas supply, the authority said.
It said the case concerned suspected attempted sabotage against the constitutional order and aiding and abetting violations of the Foreign Trade and Payments Act.
No arrests were made. "Today's searches are intended to clarify the existing grounds for suspicion," it said.
Moscow firm as new owner
Berlin-based Gazprom Germania GmbH was separated from the Russian Gazprom group in late March 2022 through indirect share sales by the responsible shareholders, Germany's supreme prosecuting authority explained. "A Moscow company with no connection to the industry emerged as the new owner," it said.
That company ordered the liquidation of Gazprom Germania GmbH immediately after the sale. At that point, the company had held at least 25% of Germany's natural gas storage capacity.
Allegations against the suspect
The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office said the liquidation order was issued without authorization from the Federal Economy Ministry, in violation of investment regulations under the Foreign Trade and Payments Act. "There is suspicion that the sale and liquidation were intended to disrupt the gas supply in Germany," it said.
The authority alleges that the suspect supported the implementation of the liquidation decision with that goal in mind.
The liquidation was ultimately prevented after the ministry ordered the Federal Network Agency to assume temporary trustee administration of Gazprom Germania GmbH.
Gazprom Germania was a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned Gazprom group and was nationalized as a result of Russia's war against Ukraine and the energy crisis in Germany.
The gas company is today known as Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE).
(By Jaqueline Melcher and Marco Krefting).
- Gazprom
- Subsidiary
- Searched in Germany
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
