Overview
- German prosecutors said Wednesday that Croatian police in Pula arrested a Ukrainian man identified as Vladimir Z. on a European arrest warrant and that he is expected to be extradited to Germany.
- Prosecutors allege Vladimir Z. is a trained scuba diver who took part in dives that planted explosives on Nord Stream 1 and 2 near Bornholm in September 2022 and cite use of military‑grade explosives in the operation.
- The arrest follows July criminal charges in Germany against former Ukrainian army officer Serhii K., who was detained in Italy in August 2025, extradited to Germany in November 2025, and is held in pretrial detention in Hamburg.
- Other national probes by Sweden and Denmark were closed without charges, Poland refused a prior extradition for a similar suspect, and governments including Russia, the United States and Ukraine have issued conflicting public statements about responsibility.
- Next steps include Croatia transferring the detainee to Germany, a planned appearance before an investigating judge and a court process in Hamburg that could test evidence linking the alleged operatives to state directives and shape political fallout over energy and security policy.