German prosecutors announced that a second Ukrainian suspect linked to the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions has been arrested in Croatia and will be extradited to Germany, according to Reuters. Germany’s federal prosecutors’ office identified the second suspect only as Vladimir Z., while Polish authorities identified him as Volodymyr Zhuravlov.
Second Nord Stream Sabotage Suspect Arrested in Croatia
Local police forces arrested the suspect in the Croatian city of Pula after acting on a European arrest warrant. The Istarska County Police Administration confirmed that officers made an arrest at a tourist facility in Pula and worked to verify the identity against the federal court warrant from Karlsruhe. German prosecutors stated that Vladimir Z. is a trained scuba diver who belonged to a group that planted explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines.
Charges and Connection to the First Suspect
The ongoing investigation previously led to the detention of a first suspect in the case, former Ukrainian army officer Serhii K. According to AP News, prosecutors filed charges against Serhii K. in July in connection with the same explosions. He faces charges of causing an explosion, damaging property, disrupting public service, and acting as an accomplice to war crimes by attacking civilian objects.
Serhii K. was detained in August 2025 in an Italian village where he was staying with his family and was subsequently transferred to Germany in November. Prosecutors allege that Vladimir Z. operated as part of a group led by Serhii K. Investigators state that the suspects utilized a yacht rented from a German company through forged IDs and intermediaries, which set off from the German port of Rostock.
Background of the 2022 Pipeline Explosions
The undersea explosions occurred on September 26, 2022, near the Danish island of Bornholm, following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier that year. The blasts ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which served as a major route for Russian natural gas exports to Europe, and also damaged the Nord Stream 2 branch, which had not yet entered service after Germany suspended its certification process.
Russia and Western countries have described the incident as sabotage. German courts claimed jurisdiction over the case because the damaged pipelines terminate in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, making their loss a matter affecting Germany’s energy security and internal safety. Prosecutors stated that the objective of the attack was to permanently halt gas deliveries and prevent Russia from utilizing revenue from the natural gas trade to finance its military actions.
Official Responses and Legal Proceedings
Authorities in Kyiv stated they lacked sufficient information to respond in detail to the German allegations. Meanwhile, the first suspect, Serhii K., has denied any involvement in the explosions. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk previously remarked during extradition hearings that handing over Volodymyr Zhuravlov would not serve Poland’s interest, though it remained unclear why he left Poland despite an existing arrest warrant.
In Berlin, Justice Ministry spokesman Nicholas Limmer expressed support for the ongoing inquiries, stating that officials were glad the federal prosecutor’s office was making progress in clarifying the pipeline bombings. The Croatian justice ministry noted under European Union law that authorized judicial bodies communicate directly regarding extradition matters, leaving the Pula court to make the final determination on the handover.
