A man from Ukraine was apprehended on Wednesday in Croatia in connection with the underwater explosions that caused destruction to the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany in 2022, as confirmed by Germany’s federal prosecutor.
The individual, identified as Vladimir Z., was taken into custody in Pula, Croatia, by local law enforcement executing a European warrant.
According to prosecutors, Vladimir Z., a certified scuba diver, was part of a group that orchestrated the placement of explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas 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 causing damage to buildings and structures.
The suspect is set to be extradited by Germany. Poland had previously thwarted the extradition of an individual sharing the same name and initial last year.
On September 26, 2022, the undersea explosions led to the impairment of pipelines designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea.
This incident exacerbated tensions amid the Ukraine conflict as European nations sought to reduce their reliance on Russian energy supplies following the full-scale invasion by the Kremlin.
The explosions inflicted damage on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which had been Russia’s primary natural gas conduit to Germany until supplies were halted by Moscow in August 2022. Additionally, Nord Stream 2 sustained damage and never became operational due to Germany pausing its certification process shortly before Russia’s invasion.
Additional Charges in Germany
In early last month, German federal prosecutors pressed charges against a former Ukrainian army officer known as Serhii K. The suspect, who was detained in Italy the previous year, is facing charges related to explosion-causing activities, property damage, disruption of public services, and complicity in war crimes by targeting civilian assets.
Authorities in Germany allege that Serhii K. and accomplices departed from the port of Rostock utilizing a yacht rented from a German firm.
Russia has accused the U.S. of orchestrating the explosions, an accusation that Washington has refuted. The pipelines had long been subject to criticism from the U.S. and some of its allies, who cautioned against heightened European reliance on Russian gas.
The Ukrainian government has also denied any involvement in the incident.
