A Ukrainian individual was apprehended on Wednesday in Croatia for his involvement in the underwater blasts that caused destruction to the Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany in 2022, as confirmed by Germany’s federal prosecutor.
The arrested man, identified as Vladimir Z., was captured in Pula, Croatia, under a European warrant executed by local law enforcement. According to prosecutors, Vladimir Z., an experienced scuba diver, was part of a group responsible for planting explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022.
The suspect is under strong suspicion of collectively initiating explosions, engaging in anti-constitutional sabotage, and causing damage to buildings and structures. The German government expressed satisfaction with the arrest, emphasizing the significance of resolving the pipeline bombings.
In a separate incident, German federal prosecutors recently pressed charges against a former Ukrainian army officer, Serhii K., in connection with the same explosions. Serhii K., who was detained in Italy in August 2025 and later extradited to Germany in November, faces allegations of explosion-related offenses, property damage, disruption of public services, and complicity in war crimes by targeting civilian assets.
German authorities allege that Serhii K. and accomplices departed from the port of Rostock using a yacht rented from a German firm. Plans are in motion for Germany to seek the extradition of the suspect, despite a previous extradition block by Poland involving a person sharing the same name and initial.
Poland’s opposition to the Nord Stream pipelines, which they view as a Russian strategy to leverage energy resources across Europe, has been evident. During the extradition proceedings involving the individual identified as Volodymyr Zhuravlov, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk underscored that extradition would not align with Poland’s interests.
The circumstances surrounding Zhuravlov’s departure from Poland amid an existing arrest warrant remain unclear. His Polish lawyer mentioned that Zhuravlov was aware of the territorial limitations of the ruling in Poland, with his wife expressing surprise at his detention in Croatia.
The underwater explosions that occurred on September 26, 2022, inflicted damage on pipelines designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea. This incident exacerbated tensions amid the Ukraine conflict, prompting European nations to reduce dependence on Russian energy sources post the Kremlin’s invasion.
The explosions impacted the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, previously a primary gas supply route from Russia to Germany until supplies were halted by Moscow in August 2022. Additionally, Nord Stream 2 sustained damage, with its certification process suspended by Germany just before Russia’s invasion, preventing its operational launch.
Amid accusations by Russia that the U.S. orchestrated the blasts, Washington has refuted these claims. Criticism towards the pipelines has been ongoing from the U.S. and its allies, citing increased European reliance on Russian gas. The Ukrainian government has also denied any involvement in the sabotage plot.
