Ukrainian Diver Arrested in Croatia in Nord Stream Blast Investigation

What Happened

A Ukrainian man identified by German prosecutors as Vladimir Z has been arrested in Pula, Croatia, in connection with the September 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

Germany's federal prosecutors said Croatian police made the arrest on a European warrant. They allege Vladimir Z was a trained scuba diver who took part in the dives needed to plant explosives on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 near the Danish island of Bornholm.

Prosecutors said he belonged to a group led by Serhiy K, a former Ukrainian military officer who was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and later transferred to Germany. Vladimir Z is the second Ukrainian suspect arrested in the German investigation.

German authorities are seeking Vladimir Z's extradition so that he can face legal proceedings in Germany. Reports differed on the immediate status of that request: Al Jazeera reported that he would be extradited, while the BBC and the Guardian said German authorities were pursuing or would seek extradition.

The Big Picture

The September 2022 blasts damaged three of the four pipelines built to carry Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, according to the Guardian. Nord Stream 1 was operating at the time, while Nord Stream 2 had not yet entered service, the BBC and Al Jazeera reported.

The explosions came months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia and Western governments described the incident as sabotage, and the question of responsibility has remained politically sensitive for European governments supporting Ukraine while confronting Russia's war.

German prosecutors have alleged that the purpose of the operation was to permanently halt gas deliveries through the pipelines and prevent Russia from using natural-gas revenue to finance its war effort, according to Al Jazeera.

Background

Prosecutors have identified the latest suspect only by the abbreviated name Vladimir Z. The BBC and the Guardian reported that he is understood to be Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, who was previously detained in Poland in connection with the case.

A Polish court declined to execute Germany's earlier European arrest warrant. The BBC reported that the judge said an attack by Ukraine could be a justified act, while the Guardian said the court also found that Germany lacked jurisdiction. The accounts reflect differing descriptions of the ruling, but both show that Germany's effort to obtain the suspect has faced legal and political complications.

Germany maintains that its courts have jurisdiction because the pipelines end in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and because their destruction affected German energy security and internal safety, according to the BBC and Al Jazeera.

What Each Side Is Saying

German prosecutors allege Serhiy K led the group involved in planting explosives. The BBC reported that prosecutors say the group used a yacht rented in Rostock, Germany, to support the operation. Serhiy K has denied responsibility for the explosions.

Al Jazeera reported that German prosecutors charged Serhiy K in July with orchestrating the blasts while acting on behalf of Ukrainian state entities. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly denied Kyiv's involvement in the Nord Stream explosions, according to the BBC. Al Jazeera reported that officials in Kyiv said they did not have enough information to respond in detail to the latest German allegations.

The German government welcomed the arrest. Justice Ministry spokesman Nicholas Limmer said it was important that the pipeline bombing be clarified, according to Al Jazeera.

What Happens Next

The next immediate question is whether Croatia will transfer Vladimir Z to Germany under the European arrest warrant. If extradited, he would be brought before a German investigating judge to face allegations related to causing explosions and sabotage, the BBC reported.

The arrest advances an investigation that has tested relations among countries central to Europe's response to the war in Ukraine. It also leaves German prosecutors pursuing a case in which the alleged suspects are Ukrainian nationals, while Kyiv continues to reject claims of state involvement.