TheDetonation
The Nord Stream attack, the hunt for the perpetrators, and Germany's betrayal of Ukraine
A non-fiction thriller against the
backdrop of the war in Ukraine
This book is about Russia's war of aggression, German energy policy, and Western intelligence activities.
It takes us aboard the yacht Andromeda and into CIA headquarters in Langley, into diplomatic back rooms and a wiretap-proof chamber of the Bundestag, into TV studios and secret locations in Ukraine.
Again and again at the center: then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his fixer Wolfgang Schmidt, pursuing their own agenda and leveraging their relationships with influential journalists.
Conversations and recollections from perpetrators and insiders including former heads of government, ministers, senior officials, investigators, and intelligence officers.
Documents, text messages, personal records, and emails — analyzed and published for the first time.
The Main Players
The most spectacular act of sabotage
in recent history
On September 8, 2022, a somewhat aging sailing yacht sets out from Rügen into the Baltic Sea. On board: five men, one woman, and a great deal of heavy equipment. Two and a half weeks later, explosive charges detonate on three of the four strands of the Nord Stream pipelines. Images of the methane gas bubbles on the sea surface go around the world. What is behind the daring operation, and who was in the know?
This book is about Russia's war of aggression, German energy policy, and Western intelligence activities. It takes us aboard the yacht Andromeda and into CIA headquarters in Langley, into diplomatic back rooms and a wiretap-proof chamber of the Bundestag, into TV studios and secret locations in Ukraine. Again and again at the center: then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his fixer Wolfgang Schmidt, pursuing their own agenda and leveraging their relationships with influential journalists. A grippingly told story that is far from over.
The Authors in Interview
Oliver Schröm and Ulrich Thiele on their investigation, secret meetings in Kyiv, and the role of the German Chancellery.
High-ranking sources in the US and Ukraine independently confirmed the CIA's early involvement.
Two masterminds and one perpetrator told the authors their version of events in a darkened office.
Previously secret documents raise the question of whether Olaf Scholz's chancellorship must be reassessed.
Our book is a corrective. What has been known so far is only part of the story. Much has been abbreviated, some is misleading or simply wrong. Readers will see the sabotage and its background in a new light. They can also expect bitter revelations about the Russia and Ukraine policies of the Chancellery under Olaf Scholz.
We spoke with more than 100 people: former heads of government, ministers, senior officials, investigators, intelligence officers — in Europe and the US. Many entrusted us not only with their memories, but also with internal documents, emails, chat logs, and personal records. In the end, we had several thousand pages of material.
Yes. To speak with two masterminds of the explosion and one perpetrator, we traveled to Kyiv.
An unremarkable old building in the city center. A taciturn man opened the door, led us through a dark reception room into a dimly lit office. Heavy table, dimmed lights, curtains drawn — it was almost a parody of a spy film. But the backdrop was real: due to Russian attacks, electricity had to be rationed. The conversation began frostily. The masterminds were suspicious, preferring to talk about other topics. We knew we would eventually have to ask the crucial questions — and were prepared for anything. Then the mood shifted. And they talked.
Several. One of them: within 72 hours, high-ranking sources in the US and Ukraine independently confirmed that the CIA had been informed early about the plan to blow up the pipelines.
In late April 2022 — about six months before the explosion — masterminds of the sabotage made contact with CIA liaisons. According to our research, the CIA pledged its support. We can reconstruct in detail how these contacts came about and what was agreed.
The Chancellery under Olaf Scholz plays a central role in our book. We publish previously secret information and documents and trace what happened behind the scenes. We don't judge, we reconstruct. But many readers will probably ask whether Olaf Scholz's Ukraine policy — perhaps even his chancellorship as a whole — must be reassessed.
Oliver Schröm & Ulrich Thiele
Oliver Schröm is one of Germany's most prominent investigative authors. With twelve exposé books, including the Spiegel bestsellers 'Die Cum-Ex-Files' (2021) and 'Die Akte Scholz' (2022), he has shaped debates on power, money, and accountability. His research became the basis for a ZDF series.
Ulrich Thiele is an investigative journalist and author of the bestseller 'Nord Stream. How Germany Financed Putin's War' (2025). His research on Nord Stream 2 and the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Climate Foundation put the state government of Manuela Schwesig under pressure.
Contact
For interview requests, review copies, and press materials, please contact the authors or the publisher directly.