German federal prosecutors are investigating a Russian national on suspicion of attempting to sabotage Germany's gas supply following the start of Russia's war against Ukraine, with a former subsidiary of state-owned Russian energy group Gazprom at the centre of the case.
On Wednesday, officers searched premises belonging to the suspect and a second person, who is not a suspect, in Berlin, Germany's supreme prosecuting authority said on Wednesday.
Searches also took place at a company in Frankfurt. No arrests were made. The measures were described as serving solely to clarify the facts of the case.
The criminal investigation is being led by the Customs Criminal Investigation Office.
The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office believes that the transfer of former Gazprom subsidiary Gazprom Germania GmbH to a Moscow company in March 2022, and the subsequent planned liquidation of the firm, were intended to disrupt Germany's gas supply.
The Russian suspect is accused of having supported the liquidation with that goal in mind. He is being investigated on suspicion of aiding and abetting attempted sabotage against the constitutional order and violations of the Foreign Trade and Payments Act.
Economy Ministry prevented liquidation
Gazprom Germania was separated from the Russian Gazprom group in late March 2022 through the sale of shares by the responsible shareholders.
A Moscow company with no connection to the industry then emerged as the new owner, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office said, and immediately ordered the liquidation of the firm - without the authorization from the Federal Economy Ministry that was legally required.
At that point, Gazprom Germania held at least a quarter of Germany's natural gas storage capacity, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office said.
The dissolution of the company would therefore likely have further complicated Germany's gas supply during an already critical period.
The liquidation was ultimately prevented after the Economy Ministry appointed the Federal Network Agency as temporary trustee.
Minister dubbed liquidation not lawful
The then minister Robert Habeck said in April 2022, in connection with the exceptional legal measure, that his ministry had learned of an "indirect acquisition" of Gazprom Germania by JSC Palmary and Gazprom Business Export Services LLC. Any acquisition of critical infrastructure by an investor from outside the EU had to be approved by the Economy Ministry, he said.
However, it was unclear "who is economically and legally behind the two companies," Habeck said at the time.
The acquirer had also ordered the liquidation of Gazprom Germania, which was not lawful as long as the acquisition had not been approved, he added. "A liquidation would result in the end of the legal existence of Gazprom Germania." His ministry had therefore transferred oversight to the Federal Network Agency by order.
State takes over former Gazprom subsidiary
Gazprom Germania, by then renamed Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE), was nationalized in November 2022.
The Economy Ministry justified the move on the grounds that a looming insolvency would jeopardize Germany's security of supply. To avert that risk and maintain operational business activity, the change of ownership was carried out, and the company stabilized, it said.
Under an EU condition, the government must reduce its current 100% stake in SEFE to no more than 25% plus one share by 2028.
A SEFE spokesman said in response to a dpa enquiry that the current investigation did not directly concern SEFE. As it was an ongoing Federal Public Prosecutor's Office procedure and SEFE was not named as a suspect, the company would not comment further, he said.
