A man from Ukraine was apprehended in Croatia on Wednesday in connection with underwater blasts that impacted the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany in 2022, as announced by Germany’s federal prosecutor. The individual, identified as Vladimir Z., was taken into custody in Pula, Croatia, under a European warrant. Prosecutors stated that Vladimir Z., a skilled 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 collectively orchestrating explosions, engaging in anti-constitutional sabotage, and causing damage to buildings and structures.
The German government expressed satisfaction with the arrest, emphasizing the importance of clarifying the pipeline bombings. German federal prosecutors had previously pressed charges against another individual, Serhii K., a former Ukrainian army officer, linked to the same explosions. Serhii K. was detained in Italy in August 2025 and extradited to Germany in November on charges of explosion, property damage, disruption of public services, and complicity in war crimes related to attacking civilian targets. It is alleged that Serhii K. and accomplices departed from the port of Rostock using a yacht rented from a German company.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the suspect had been previously arrested in Poland, with Germany planning to proceed with his extradition. Poland had previously denied a similar extradition request, stating that handing over the suspect would not serve their interests. The individual in question, identified as Volodymyr Zhuravlov by Polish authorities, had left Poland despite an outstanding arrest warrant. His lawyer in Poland mentioned that his client was aware that the ruling applied only within Poland’s borders, suggesting surprise at his detention in Croatia.
The underwater explosions on September 26, 2022, caused damage to the Nord Stream pipelines designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. These incidents heightened tensions amid the Ukraine conflict, leading European nations to reduce reliance on Russian energy sources following Moscow’s invasion. The explosions impacted the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, Russia’s primary gas supply route to Germany, and also affected Nord Stream 2, which had not yet commenced operations due to Germany suspending its certification process post the Russian invasion.
Russia has accused the U.S. of orchestrating the explosions, an allegation that Washington has refuted. The U.S. and some allies had criticized the pipelines for increasing European dependence on Russian gas. The Ukrainian government has also denied any involvement in the sabotage plot.