Wednesday, August 19, 2026 - A Ukrainian national has been arrested in Croatia in connection with the 2022 explosions that severely damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
German prosecutors identified the suspect as Vladimir Z., a trained scuba diver, who was detained in the Croatian city of Pula under a European arrest warrant. He is expected to face extradition proceedings in Germany.
German investigators allege that Vladimir Z. was part of a group that planted explosives on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 near Denmark's Bornholm island.
The pipelines were designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany and were heavily damaged by underwater explosions in September 2022. Another Ukrainian suspect, former army officer Serhii K., was arrested in Italy last year and has denied involvement.
The latest arrest adds fresh momentum to Germany's long-running investigation and could bring prosecutors closer to establishing who organized and carried out the sabotage.
Ukrainian authorities have not accepted responsibility for the blasts, while the suspects remain allegations until proven in court. Vladimir Z. is now in Croatian custody as Germany moves to secure his transfer and question him over one of Europe's most consequential pipeline attacks in recent years.
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