Ukrainian suspect arrested in Croatia over Nord Stream pipeline blasts

German prosecutors announced Wednesday that a second Ukrainian national has been taken into custody in the Croatian seaport of Pula, a development they say could finally illuminate the shadowy operation that shredded three of the four Nord Stream gas lines in September 2022. The suspect, identified only as Vladimir Z., is described as a trained scuba diver who worked with a small team allegedly led by former Ukrainian army officer Serhii K. Berlin’s request for his extradition to Germany marks a fresh push to bring the case before a federal court, potentially tightening the legal net around the covert sabotage.

The arrest arrives three years after the undersea explosions halted the direct flow of Russian natural gas to Germany, an event that reshaped Europe’s energy map and sparked a multinational investigation. While the first major suspect, Serhii K., was seized in Italy in 2025 and extradited to Germany, authorities say Vladimir Z.’s capture “adds a new piece to the puzzle” of how the operation was carried out.

Media additions

According to the German Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect was detained by Croatian police “under a European arrest warrant issued by Germany” AA. Prosecutors allege he “took part in dives needed for the operation” and that his role involved attaching explosives to the pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm island Daily Times. The claim is echoed by Kyiv Post, which notes that German investigators accuse him of belonging to the group that “planted explosives on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2”.

The group’s alleged modus operandi, as detailed in the German investigation, involved renting a sailing yacht called Andromeda under false documents, ferrying the divers and their equipment to the Baltic Sea’s pipeline corridor. Once on site, the divers supposedly descended to the seabed to affix the charges, after which the explosives detonated on 26 September 2022, destroying three of the four lines The Guardian. The same source adds that the suspect had previously been arrested in Poland in 2023, released after a court ruled against the European arrest warrant, and was identified there as Volodymyr Zhuravlev.

German prosecutors have linked Vladimir Z. To another Ukrainian suspect, Sergiy Kuznetsov, who was apprehended in Italy last year and also extradited to Germany Daily Times. The two men, they say, “worked together during the suspected operation,” using the rented yacht as a floating base. The investigators maintain that the divers were the only members with the technical skill to place the explosives, while the commander, Serhii K., coordinated the broader plan.

While the German indictment paints a picture of a Ukrainian‑run operation, Kyiv has repeatedly denied any official involvement. The Ukrainian government “has consistently denied any involvement in the sabotage,” a stance reiterated after the latest arrest AA. Media reports have alleged the operation was overseen by then-army chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi without the knowledge of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Legal experts point out that the case remains at a preliminary stage. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has only charged the suspects with “strong suspicion” of involvement, meaning the presumption of innocence remains intact until a German court determines guilt Kyiv Post. Vladimir Z. Remains in Croatian custody pending extradition to Germany, where he will be brought before an investigative judge.

Beyond the courtroom, the arrest reverberates through a complex web of diplomatic tensions. The 2024 Polish court ruling that dismissed Germany’s arrest warrant sparked a “landmark” dispute between Warsaw and Berlin, with Poland arguing the Nord Stream attacks could be justified as a defensive act by Ukraine The Guardian. The recent Croatian action, however, suggests Berlin is unwilling to let the case slip away, despite the sensitive geopolitical backdrop of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and Germany’s historic support for Kyiv.

Timeline of key developments

• 26 September 2022 – Undersea explosions damage three Nord Stream lines near Bornholm.
• August 2025 – Former Ukrainian soldier Serhii K. Is arrested in Italy; later extradited to Germany.

What to watch next

• The Croatian court’s decision on Vladimir Z.’s extradition request, expected within weeks.
• Potential diplomatic statements from Kyiv, Berlin and Warsaw as the case proceeds, particularly any clarification of Ukraine’s alleged role.
• Further revelations from German investigators about the chain of command, financing and possible state actors involved in the operation.

The arrest of Vladimir Z. Injects fresh momentum into an investigation that has been defined by secrecy and competing narratives. Whether the Croatian detention will lead to a decisive courtroom showdown, or simply add another layer to an already intricate geopolitical drama, remains to be seen. For now, the case stands as a stark reminder of how a single act of sabotage can intertwine energy policy, international law and wartime politics across the continent.