German authorities announced the arrest of a Ukrainian man in Croatia on Wednesday in connection with the underwater explosions that caused damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany in 2022. The individual, identified as Vladimir Z., was apprehended in Pula, Croatia, following a European warrant issued by local law enforcement. According to prosecutors, 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 under strong suspicion 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. Justice ministry spokesperson Nicholas Limmer highlighted the progress made in the investigations by the federal prosecutor’s office.
Earlier, German federal prosecutors had pressed charges against another suspect, Serhii K., a former Ukrainian army officer, linked to the same explosions. Serhii K. was captured in Italy in August 2025 and later extradited to Germany in November to face charges including causing an explosion, property damage, disruption of public services, and complicity in war crimes for targeting civilian objects.
Meanwhile, it was revealed that Poland had thwarted the extradition of a person bearing the same name and initial as the current suspect the previous year. The individual, identified as Volodymyr Zhuravlov by Polish authorities, faced difficulties in being extradited to Germany due to Poland’s reservations. The same person, now known as Vladimir Z., had left Poland despite an active arrest warrant against him.
The explosions on September 26, 2022, ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was a crucial route for Russian gas supplies to Germany. The incident exacerbated tensions amid the Ukraine conflict, prompting European nations to reduce reliance on Russian energy sources. The damaged Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was yet to be certified, had its operations suspended by Germany before Russia’s invasion.
Accusations by Russia implicating the U.S. in orchestrating the explosions were denied by Washington. The U.S. and its allies had long criticized the Nord Stream pipelines for amplifying European dependency on Russian gas. The Ukrainian government also refuted any involvement in the sabotage plot.