Nord Stream blast suspect held in Croatia pending extradition to Germany

A Ukrainian national suspected of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions has been placed in pre-trial detention in Croatia, pending a decision on his extradition to Germany. Court officials in Pula confirmed the detention order on Thursday, following a request from the county state attorney, who has already questioned the suspect.

The man, identified by German prosecutors only as Vladimir Z., was arrested early Wednesday at a hotel in the coastal city of Pula. The arrest was made under a European arrest warrant. German authorities have described him as a trained scuba diver and allege he was part of a group responsible for the blasts that damaged the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a key route for Russian gas exports to Europe, and the Nord Stream 2 branch, which had not yet entered service.

The explosions, which occurred near the Danish island of Bornholm, were widely described as sabotage by both Russia and Western nations. The incident took place months after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In a related development, German prosecutors charged former Ukrainian army officer Serhii K. in July with orchestrating the blasts on behalf of Ukrainian state entities. Serhii K., arrested in Italy in August 2025 and transferred to Germany in November, has denied any involvement.

German courts have asserted jurisdiction in the case because the damaged pipelines terminate in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and their loss impacted Germany's energy security. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said his ministry is in contact with Croatian authorities to facilitate the suspect's extradition, but acknowledged that such procedures can take time. "We have a strong interest in clarifying the facts in this context and ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to Germany, where they will be dealt with appropriately," Dobrindt said.