A second Ukrainian suspect, identified as Vladimir Z, has been arrested in Croatia following the arrest of a man allegedly involved in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blasts. German prosecutors announced on Wednesday that the man, who is believed to be a trained scuba diver, was apprehended in Pula, Croatia, and will be extradited to Germany.
The German government lauded the arrest, emphasizing the importance of clarifying the bombing of the pipelines as a matter of national security and international law. Ministry of Justice spokesman Nicholas Limmer stated, “We’re simply glad that the federal prosecutor’s office is making progress in these investigations, because it’s important that the bombing of the pipelines be clarified as well.” This announcement follows weeks of heightened scrutiny and investigation following the initial arrest of former Ukrainian army officer Serhii K, who was charged in July with orchestrating the blasts while acting on behalf of Ukrainian state entities. K was transferred to Germany in November.
The first suspect, Serhii K, was charged with orchestrating the blasts while acting on behalf of Ukrainian state entities, and was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and transferred to Germany in November. However, K has consistently denied any involvement in the blasts near the Danish island of Bornholm. Authorities in Kyiv have indicated that they lack sufficient information to provide a detailed response to the German allegations.
German authorities have confirmed the arrest in Pula, stating that the suspect was identified as a trained scuba diver who was part of a group led by Serhii K that planted explosives targeting the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. Prosecutors revealed that the group, composed of individuals with specialized diving skills, employed a method of detonating the explosives underwater, which they believe was intended to disrupt the pipelines and prevent Russia from accessing the natural gas trade revenue.
The explosions caused significant damage to the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a vital artery for Russian gas exports to Europe, as well as the Nord Stream 2 branch, which had yet to enter service. At the time of the incidents, Russia had recently halted gas deliveries via the Nord Stream 1, blaming Western sanctions and technical issues, though Europe accused Russia of weaponizing energy supplies. Poland has long expressed strong opposition to the Nord Stream pipelines, viewing them as a deliberate attempt by Russia to leverage its vast energy resources to gain geopolitical leverage across Europe.
The German prosecutors’ office stated that the aim of the alleged attack was to permanently halt gas deliveries through the pipelines and thereby prevent Russia from utilizing revenue from the natural gas trade to finance its war effort. German courts have treated the case as falling within their jurisdiction because the damaged pipelines end in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and their loss affected Germany’s energy security and internal safety. The arrest of Vladimir Z represents a significant development in the investigation and raises concerns about potential international repercussions, particularly regarding Russia’s strategy to leverage its energy resources and potentially destabilize European markets.
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Source: Al Jazeera
