A Ukrainian individual was apprehended in Croatia on Wednesday concerning the underwater blasts that caused damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany in 2022, as stated by Germany’s federal prosecutor. The arrested individual, identified as Vladimir Z., was taken into custody in Pula, Croatia, under a European warrant executed by local authorities. Prosecutors revealed that Vladimir Z., a proficient 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 involvement in the coordinated explosions, anti-constitutional sabotage, and destruction of infrastructure.
The German government expressed satisfaction with the arrest, emphasizing the importance of thoroughly investigating the pipeline bombings. The arrest follows earlier charges filed against another Ukrainian, Serhii K., an ex-army officer, in relation to the same incidents. Serhii K. was detained in Italy in August 2025 and later extradited to Germany to face charges of explosion-related offenses, property damage, disruption of public services, and complicity in war crimes associated with attacks on civilian structures.
German authorities alleged that Serhii K. and accomplices departed from the port of Rostock aboard a yacht rented from a German company to carry out the sabotage. Despite previous attempts to extradite a suspect with a similar name from Poland, the extradition was blocked. The suspect, known as Volodymyr Zhuravlov to Polish authorities, was confirmed to be the same person involved in the Nord Stream sabotage incidents.
The explosions on the pipelines, occurring on September 26, 2022, exacerbated tensions amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict, prompting European nations to reduce reliance on Russian energy supplies. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a vital route for Russian gas to Germany, was ruptured, leading to a suspension of gas supplies by Moscow in August 2022. Additionally, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was yet to be operational due to certification delays, also suffered damage. Russia accused the U.S. of orchestrating the explosions, a claim denied by Washington, while Ukraine disclaimed any involvement in the sabotage plot.