German federal prosecutors announced the arrest of a Ukrainian man in Croatia on Wednesday in connection with the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany in 2022. The suspect, identified as Vladimir Z., was apprehended in Pula, Croatia, under a European warrant issued by local authorities. Prosecutors revealed that Vladimir Z., a trained 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 infrastructure.
The German government expressed satisfaction with the arrest, emphasizing the importance of clarifying the pipeline bombings. In a separate incident, charges were filed against another suspect, Serhii K., a former Ukrainian army officer, who was detained in Italy in August 2025 and extradited to Germany in November on charges related to the same explosions. German authorities alleged that Serhii K. and accomplices departed from the port of Rostock using a yacht hired from a German company.
Regarding the extradition of the suspects, Germany is expected to take action, although Poland previously blocked the extradition of a man with a similar name. The suspect, identified as Volodymyr Zhuravlov by Polish authorities, has faced opposition to extradition, particularly due to Poland’s stance against the Nord Stream pipelines. Russia has accused the U.S. of orchestrating the explosions, a claim denied by Washington, while Ukraine has also refuted any involvement in the sabotage.
The undersea explosions on September 26, 2022, inflicted damage to the Nord Stream pipelines, exacerbating tensions amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The disruptions to the pipelines further strained relations as European nations sought to reduce reliance on Russian energy following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The explosions not only affected the Nord Stream 1 pipeline but also impacted Nord Stream 2, which never became operational due to Germany halting its certification process in response to the invasion.
The incidents surrounding the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage have raised international scrutiny and accusations, with ongoing investigations shedding light on the complexities of the situation.