New Delhi, Oct. 31 -- Serhii Kuznietsov, 50, went on trial at the Hamburg state court on Oct. 14, charged with causing an explosion, damaging property, disrupting public service and being an "accomplice to war crimes" by attacking civilian infrastructure.

He is alleged to have been the ringleader of the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, considered one of Europe's biggest acts of sabotage since World War II.

His lawyers swiftly filed a motion to dismiss the charges. They argued that Kuznietsov was still an active duty soldier and as such was obligated by Ukrainian law not to speak for reasons of secrecy linked to national security, and that under German law anyone who can't speak out can't be convicted.

The court dismissed the mo...