Second Ukrainian Detained over Nord Stream Blasts

A Croatian judge on Thursday ordered the detention of a Ukrainian man wanted in Germany in connection with the September 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

The suspect was arrested on a European warrant by Croatian police in Pula on Wednesday. On Thursday, he was questioned by prosecutors, who requested that he remain in custody pending extradition proceedings, according to Croatian state broadcaster HRT.

His lawyer said he would appeal the detention order. It was not immediately clear how long the extradition proceedings could take.

German prosecutors identified the suspect only as Vladimir Z. and described him as a trained scuba diver. He is widely identified in European media as Volodymyr Zhuravlev. Prosecutors allege he was part of a group led by another Ukrainian suspect, Serhii K., that planted explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.

The explosions on 26 September 2022 damaged the pipelines, which were built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream 1 was operating at the time, while Nord Stream 2 had yet to enter service.

Zhuravlev had previously been arrested in Poland, but a Polish court refused to extradite him to Germany and he was released.

Serhii K., a former Ukrainian military officer, was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and transferred to Germany in November. German prosecutors charged him in July with orchestrating the blasts while acting on behalf of Ukrainian state entities. He has denied involvement.

Zhuravlev has also denied involvement, while Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly denied any role in the explosions.

(tars, ap)