A Ukrainian individual was apprehended on Wednesday in Croatia in connection to the underwater explosions that caused damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany in 2022, as stated by Germany’s federal prosecutor. The man, identified as Vladimir Z., was taken into custody in Pula, Croatia, by local authorities executing a European warrant. Prosecutors revealed that Vladimir Z., a certified scuba diver, was part of a group that planted explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022. He is suspected of involvement in causing explosions, anti-constitutional sabotage, and destruction of structures.
The German government expressed satisfaction with the arrest, emphasizing the importance of clarifying the pipeline bombings. German federal prosecutors had previously pressed charges against another suspect, Serhii K., a former Ukrainian army officer, believed to be linked to the same incidents. Serhii K. was apprehended in Italy in August 2025 and later extradited to Germany, facing charges related to explosion-causing activities, property damage, disruption of public services, and complicity in war crimes by targeting civilian assets.
German authorities claimed that Serhii K. and accomplices departed from Rostock port using a yacht rented from a German company. Despite Germany’s extradition efforts, Poland had thwarted a previous attempt to extradite a person with the same name and initial as the current suspect. The individual in question, known as Volodymyr Zhuravlov, was identified by Polish authorities and confirmed to be the same person who was detained in Croatia.
Poland’s opposition to the Nord Stream pipelines, viewing them as a Russian ploy to wield influence through energy resources, has been longstanding. The explosions, occurring on September 26, 2022, exacerbated tensions amid European efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy in the aftermath of the Ukraine conflict. The blasts damaged the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, previously a key route for Russian gas to Germany, and also impacted Nord Stream 2, which was yet to be operational due to Germany’s suspension of its certification process following Russia’s invasion.
Accusations by Russia claiming U.S. involvement in the explosions have been refuted by Washington, which has denied any role in the sabotage. The U.S. and some allies had criticized the pipelines for augmenting Europe’s dependence on Russian gas. Similarly, the Ukrainian government has disavowed any involvement in the sabotage.
