A Ukrainian individual was apprehended on Wednesday in Croatia in connection to the undersea blasts that caused damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany in 2022, as confirmed by Germany’s federal prosecutor. The arrested man, identified only as Vladimir Z. to comply with German privacy regulations, was taken into custody by local authorities in Pula, Croatia, under a European warrant.
According to prosecutors, Vladimir Z., a proficient 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 orchestrating explosions, engaging in anti-constitutional sabotage, and damaging buildings and structures.
Germany is preparing to seek the extradition of the suspect, despite Poland having previously blocked the extradition of an individual with the same name and initial last year.
The explosions on September 26, 2022, caused significant harm to the pipelines designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea. The destruction exacerbated tensions amid the conflict in Ukraine, prompting European nations to reduce their reliance on Russian energy sources following Russia’s large-scale invasion.
The blasts inflicted damage to the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was the primary route for Russian gas to Germany until Moscow halted supplies in August 2022. Additionally, Nord Stream 2 sustained harm and never commenced operations as Germany suspended its certification process shortly before the Russian invasion.
In a separate incident, German federal prosecutors recently brought charges against a former Ukrainian army officer, Serhii K., who was apprehended in Italy the previous year. Serhii K. is accused of causing an explosion, property damage, disruption of public services, and complicity in war crimes related to attacks on civilian targets.
Russian authorities have accused the United States of orchestrating the explosions, an allegation that has been refuted by Washington. The Nord Stream pipelines had long been criticized by the U.S. and some allies for deepening Europe’s reliance on Russian gas. The Ukrainian government has also denied any involvement in the sabotage.