German authorities have apprehended a Ukrainian national in Croatia in connection with the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines connecting Russia and Germany. The individual, identified as Vladimir Z and reportedly known as Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, is accused of serving as one of the scuba divers who planted explosives on the underwater infrastructure. German prosecutors state they are seeking his extradition from Croatian custody.
This arrest represents the second development in the ongoing investigation into the pipeline sabotage. Zhuravlyov was previously arrested in Poland in 2025 following the incident, but a Polish judge declined to extradite him to Germany, reasoning that if Ukrainian involvement was confirmed, the act constituted a justified response. He was subsequently released. The other suspect in the case, former Ukrainian military officer Serhiy Kuznetsov, was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and extradited to Germany, where he faces trial charges. Kuznetsov has rejected allegations that he led the operation and appeared before a court in Hamburg.
German prosecutors allege the operation involved renting a yacht from Rostock to deploy explosives near the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm. Evidence presented to the United Nations Security Council included traces of subsea explosives discovered on the vessel. Though Nord Stream 1 was operational at the time of the blasts, Nord Stream 2 had not yet commenced operations.
The case has created diplomatic tension between Kyiv and Berlin, with Ukrainian officials consistently denying state involvement. German courts have asserted jurisdiction over the matter, citing the pipelines’ termination point in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and potential impacts on national energy security. Following his extradition from Croatia, Zhuravlyov is expected to face charges related to explosions and sabotage.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI