Polish authorities have detained a Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea, prosecutors in Warsaw confirmed.
The suspect, identified as Volodymyr Z., was arrested in Pruzhkow, central Poland, based on a European arrest warrant issued by Germany.
This arrest follows the capture of another Ukrainian, Serhii K., in Italy in August. An Italian court ruled on September 16 to extradite Serhii K. to Germany, though he has appealed the decision.
The Nord Stream pipelines, majority-owned by Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom and co-financed by major European energy firms, were designed to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany, bypassing transit countries such as Ukraine and Poland.
The suspected sabotage and subsequent gas leaks rendered the pipelines inoperable, occurring seven months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Initially, Western governments blamed Russia, while Moscow denied responsibility, accusing the United States, Britain, and Ukraine instead. Kyiv has consistently denied involvement.
German media reports indicate that Volodymyr Z. was one of four divers allegedly involved in placing explosives on the pipelines. According to German prosecutors, Serhii K. coordinated the operation, which involved sailing a yacht from Rostock, Germany, close to Bornholm, Denmark, where three explosions occurred on September 26, 2022.
Volodymyr Z.’s lawyer, Tymoteusz Paprocki, stated his client would fight extradition. Meanwhile, Serhii K.’s lawyer, Nicola Canestrini, argued that fundamental rights regarding due process, detention conditions, and functional immunity have been violated.
A ruling on Serhii K.’s extradition is expected by mid-October.
