Nord Stream explosions: Croatian court approves extradition of Ukrainian suspect to Germany
A court in Pula gave the green light for the extradition of Vladimir Z. to Germany. The suspect denies involvement in the 2022 sabotage.
Croatian court approves extradition of suspect for Nord Stream pipeline explosions
The District Court of Pula has decided to extradite to Germany a Ukrainian national linked to the explosions at the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022, according to kathimerini.gr, citing the Ukrainian news website Suspilne.
This concerns Vladimir Z., described by German prosecutors as a diver, who was arrested in August at a hotel in the seaside town of Pula on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued by German authorities. According to the charges, he is alleged to have participated in a group that played a role in the September 2022 explosions.
The decision was announced last Friday but became more widely known today. The suspect's lawyer, Mikola Katerintshuk, characterised the decision as biased and politically motivated, and announced the filing of an appeal. Vladimir Z. himself denies any involvement in the case.
The Pula court confirmed that it has issued a decision, without providing further details, noting that the material cannot be made public until those involved decide whether they will challenge the extradition.
The September 2022 explosions caused serious damage to the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea, near the Danish island of Bornholm. Nord Stream 1 was a major route for Russian natural gas transport to Europe, while Nord Stream 2, although technically completed, had not yet been put into commercial operation. Germany claims jurisdiction in the case, as the pipelines terminate in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the damage is estimated to have affected the country's energy and internal security.
Vladimir Z. is not the only Ukrainian at the centre of the German investigation. In July, German authorities brought charges against Sergiy K., a former officer of the Ukrainian armed forces, whom they accuse of planning and organising the explosions on behalf of Ukrainian state bodies. Sergiy K. was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and extradited to Germany in November. He too denies any involvement in the attack.
With information from Reuters, ANA-MPA
Source: Google News GR — Crime (el)