An apparatus for sterilizing plastic preforms, comprises a transport device that transports the plastic preforms along a predefined transport path, each plastic preform extending in a longitudinal direction; and a plurality of actuation devices. Each actuation device inputs a flowable medium into interiors of the plastic preforms, respectively. The actuation devices travel with the plastic preforms in a transport direction along the transport device. The actuation devices at least one of inject the flowable medium into the plastic preforms at a predefined angle α relative to the longitudinal directions of the plastic preforms, or include longitudinal directions, respectively, that are offset relative to the longitudinal directions of the plastic preforms.