Second Ukrainian Suspect in Nord Stream Case Arrested in Croatia

German prosecutors said that Croatian police had arrested a second Ukrainian suspect accused of taking part in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, with extradition to Germany.According to Reuters on Wednesday, Aug. 19, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office identified the suspect as Vladimir Z., saying he was arrested in the Croatian city of Pula under a European arrest warrant.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Prosecutors said Vladimir Z. is a trained scuba diver who allegedly belonged to a group led by Ukrainian former army officer Serhii K. The group is accused of planting explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.German prosecutors brought charges in July against Serhii K., accusing him of involvement in the blasts and of acting on behalf of Ukrainian state entities.The September 2022 explosions damaged the pipelines, which were designed to carry Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream 1 had been operating, while Nord Stream 2 had been completed but never entered service.Russia and Western countries have described the explosions as sabotage.What happened to the Nord Stream pipelines?Nord Stream consisted of two major pipeline projects connecting Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea.Nord Stream 1 carried Russian natural gas to Germany and other European markets. Nord Stream 2 was built as a second route for Russian gas but never became operational after Germany halted its certification following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Other Topics of Interest Moscow Gas Stations Impose Fuel Limits as Russian Shortage Deepens AI-95 gasoline is hard to find. Prices have climbed as high as 120 rubles ($1.50) per liter, but the fuel has disappeared from many stations operated by Gazprom, Rosneft, and other chains. On Sept. 26, 2022, several underwater explosions damaged three of the four Nord Stream pipeline lines, causing large amounts of gas to escape into the Baltic Sea.The blasts immediately triggered an international investigation into who had carried out the sabotage.Denmark and Sweden investigated the explosions but later closed their investigations without publicly identifying those responsible, however Germany continued its investigation.What German investigators believe happenedGerman investigators believe the group used a rented yacht called Andromeda to reach the area of the pipelines. According to the investigation, the vessel was used to transport the suspects and equipment before trained divers allegedly went underwater to plant explosives on the pipelines.Investigators believe the group later left the area, while the explosives detonated on Sept. 26, 2022, damaging three of the four Nord Stream pipeline lines.According to the German investigation, some members of the group were trained divers who could reach the pipelines on the seabed and attach the explosives before leaving the area.The investigation eventually focused on several Ukrainian nationals.Serhii K. is one of the key suspects. German prosecutors accuse the former Ukrainian army officer of leading the group and have charged him over his alleged involvement in the operation. He was arrested in Italy in August 2025.Although allegedly aboard the yacht Andromeda, which the group reportedly used to transport themselves and the explosives from Rostock to the sabotage site, Serhii K. is not believed to have placed the explosives on the pipes. He is instead accused of coordinating the attack.Vladimir Z. is now accused of being another member of that group. However, the allegations have not been established in court, and the suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.German prosecutors have accused Serhii K. of acting on behalf of Ukrainian state entities, but the arrest of Ukrainian nationals does not by itself establish that the Ukrainian government ordered the destruction of the pipelines.The investigation still has to establish the chain of responsibility, including who planned the operation, who organized it, who financed it, and whether any state authorities ordered or supported it.Why were the pipelines important?Nord Stream was one of the major routes for Russian natural gas exports to Europe. The pipelines gave Moscow a direct route to the German market that bypassed traditional transit countries, including Ukraine.By September 2022, however, the relationship between Russia and Europe had deteriorated following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Russia had halted gas deliveries through Nord Stream 1, blaming Western sanctions and technical problems, while European countries accused Moscow of using energy supplies as a political weapon.The explosions effectively destroyed the possibility of quickly restoring the pipelines to their previous role.What happens next?Vladimir Z. is expected to be extradited from Croatia to Germany, where he will face proceedings related to the investigation.His arrest adds another suspect to a case that has remained one of the most politically sensitive sabotage investigations in Europe since the September 2022 explosions.The central unresolved question is no longer simply who physically carried out the attack. German investigators are also seeking to establish who organized the operation and whether it was connected to Ukrainian state authorities. Yuliia Zavadska is a news writer at Kyiv Post. She has experience in breaking news coverage, fact-checking, and digital journalism, with a focus on fast, accurate reporting and clear storytelling. Before joining Kyiv Post, she worked as a news feed editor for several leading Ukrainian media outlets.