A Ukrainian individual was apprehended on Wednesday in Croatia for his alleged involvement in the underwater explosions that caused damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany in 2022, as stated by Germany’s federal prosecutor.
The arrested person, 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 responsible for planting explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022. He is suspected of participating in causing explosions, engaging in anti-constitutional sabotage, and destroying buildings and structures.
The German government expressed satisfaction with the arrest, emphasizing the importance of clarifying the pipeline bombings. The justice ministry spokesperson, Nicholas Limmer, highlighted the progress made by the federal prosecutor’s office in the investigations.
Earlier last month, German federal prosecutors 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 extradited to Germany in November, faces charges related to explosion, property damage, disruption of public service, and complicity in war crimes by targeting civilian assets.
German authorities alleged that Serhii K. and accomplices departed from the port of Rostock using a yacht rented from a German company. Germany intends to seek the extradition of the suspect, despite facing objections from Poland, which had previously blocked the extradition of an individual with the same name and initials.
Poland’s opposition to the Nord Stream pipelines, considering them a Russian strategy to exert influence in Europe through energy resources, has been longstanding. The extradition of the suspect, identified as Volodymyr Zhuravlov by Polish authorities, was contested by Poland due to national interests.
The explosions on September 26, 2022, damaged the pipelines designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea. These acts of sabotage intensified tensions amid the conflict in Ukraine, prompting European nations to reduce reliance on Russian energy sources post the full-scale invasion by Russia.
The disrupted Nord Stream 1 pipeline, previously a crucial route for Russian gas to Germany, and the impaired Nord Stream 2, which was not operational due to certification suspension, exacerbated energy concerns in Europe. Russia has accused the U.S. of orchestrating the explosions, a claim refuted by Washington, while the Ukrainian government has denied any involvement in the incident.
