A Ukrainian individual was apprehended in Croatia on Wednesday in connection with undersea blasts that caused harm to the Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany in 2022, as confirmed by Germany’s federal prosecutor. The suspect, identified as Vladimir Z., was taken into custody in Pula, Croatia, under a European warrant executed by local law enforcement. Prosecutors stated that Vladimir Z., a trained scuba diver, was part of a group that placed explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022. He is under strong suspicion of involvement in causing explosions, unconstitutional sabotage, and destruction of infrastructure.
The German government expressed satisfaction with the arrest, emphasizing the importance of resolving the pipeline bombings. Earlier last month, German federal prosecutors pressed charges against another individual, a former Ukrainian army officer named Serhii K., in connection with the same incidents. Serhii K. was detained in Italy in August 2025 and later extradited to Germany in November to face charges related to the explosions, property damage, disruption of public services, and complicity in war crimes by targeting civilian assets. It is alleged that Serhii K. and his accomplices departed from Rostock using a yacht rented from a German company.
Germany intends to pursue the extradition of the suspect, despite Poland’s previous refusal to extradite an individual with a similar name. The suspect, identified as Volodymyr Zhuravlov by Polish authorities, has been connected to the same case. Poland had declined the extradition request, citing concerns about handing him over to German authorities. Poland’s opposition to the Nord Stream pipelines has been long-standing, viewing them as a strategy by Russia to exert influence across Europe using its significant energy resources. The suspect’s lawyer mentioned that the individual was aware of the territorial limitations of the Polish ruling and his wife was surprised by his detention in Croatia.
The explosions on September 26, 2022, caused damage to pipelines designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, escalating tensions amid the conflict in Ukraine. The blasts affected the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a crucial supply route that Russia had cut off in August 2022. Additionally, the explosions impacted Nord Stream 2, leading to its suspension before certification due to Russia’s invasion. The U.S. has refuted accusations made by Russia that it orchestrated the explosions, with the American government denying any involvement. Similarly, the Ukrainian government has denied any role in the sabotage plot.