A Ukrainian man has been arrested in Croatia on suspicion of involvement in the bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines that connect Russia and Germany, German prosecutors announced. The suspect is alleged to have been one of the scuba divers who planted explosives on the pipelines in September 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This arrest marks the second individual detained in connection with the sabotage. German prosecutors stated that the suspect participated in the necessary dives for the operation and are pursuing his extradition from Croatia. He is identified by prosecutors as a trained scuba diver named Vladimir Z, understood to be Volodymyr Zhuravlyov.
Zhuravlyov was previously arrested in Poland in 2025 in connection with the same undersea plot. A Polish judge, however, refused a German extradition request at the time, deeming the alleged act "just" if Ukraine was responsible. Zhuravlyov was subsequently released.
The other suspect identified in the case is Serhiy Kuznetsov, a former Ukrainian military officer. Kuznetsov was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and later extradited to Germany, where he is awaiting trial. He has denied any responsibility for the explosions. German prosecutors allege that Kuznetsov led a team that used a yacht rented in Rostock, Germany, to plant explosives on the pipelines near the Danish Baltic Sea island of Bornholm.
At the time of the explosions, the Nord Stream 1 pipeline was operational, while Nord Stream 2 had not yet entered service. The blasts crippled a significant energy supply line from Russia to Germany. Initially, blame for the attacks focused on Moscow, but evidence later emerged suggesting Ukrainian involvement. Officials in Kyiv have consistently denied any role in the incident.
Poland has historically been a vocal critic of the Nord Stream pipeline project, arguing it fostered excessive German dependence on Moscow and deprived Poland of transit fees. Ukraine and the United States have also been long-standing opponents of the pipelines.
If extradited from Croatia, the arrested man will face charges of causing explosions and sabotage before an investigating judge.