Suspect in Nord Stream case arrested in Croatia while working as consultant on film with Sean Penn
Volodimir Zhuravlev, one of the main suspects in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, was detained in Pula, Croatia, where he was working on the film "Snake Island".
Suspect in Nord Stream sabotage caught on film set in Croatia
Volodimir Zhuravlev, one of the main suspects in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, was arrested on Wednesday in the Croatian city of Pula on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued by Germany, according to News.ro citing The Guardian.
The turn of events is almost implausible: German press reported that Zhuravlev was in Croatia as a consultant on the film "Snake Island", a political thriller directed by Doug Liman — known for the Jason Bourne series — which dramatically reconstructs the alleged underwater sabotage operation in which the suspect is presumed to have participated. Sean Penn and Adrien Brody are part of the cast.
Zagreb and Pula as backdrop for a film about Nord Stream
At the beginning of this month, residents of Zagreb observed sandbags, barricades and extras dressed in Ukrainian military uniforms in front of the Esplanade Hotel, an art deco building in the centre of the city. Penn, Brody and Liman were seen on the film set in the Croatian capital. Photographs published by the Croatian press show Brody speaking on the telephone in front of the hotel, whilst the director gives him directions.
Liman had previously confirmed in an interview that some scenes were to be shot in Pula, an ancient Roman port on the coast of the Adriatic. "It is a little bit too hot. I can hardly wait to get by the water," he declared to a television crew, unaware that this very location would become the scene of his consultant's arrest.
Escaped twice, caught the third time
Zhuravlev had managed to evade German authorities twice before his detention in Pula. In 2024, he fled from Poland back to Ukraine, crossing the border despite the arrest warrant in force. Magazine Der Spiegel claimed that a Ukrainian military attaché in Warsaw had helped him, hiding him in the boot of a diplomatic car. Polish authorities blamed Germany for administrative errors in entering his data into the international database of wanted persons. Subsequently, a court released him again.
Photographs published by Croatian newspapers after his detention show Zhuravlev — a middle-aged man dressed in a blue t-shirt and brown cap — escorted by two police officers.
Profile: professional diver with links to Ukrainian services
German federal prosecutors described Zhuravlev as a professional and experienced diver. They claim he was part of a group led by another Ukrainian, Serhii K., extradited in 2025 from Italy to Germany. According to the accusation, both had links with entities of the Ukrainian state and would have placed explosives on the orders of intelligence service officials.
Both Zhuravlev and Serhii K. have denied any involvement in the underwater explosions that occurred near the Danish island of Bornholm. The Ukrainian government has stated that it had no connection with the sabotage of the pipelines and that it wishes to establish the "true circumstances" of the incident, emphasising that it occurred in the context of "Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine".
Legal battle ahead
Zhuravlev's lawyers will attempt to block his extradition to Germany, where he risks a lengthy prison sentence if found guilty. His Polish lawyer, Tymoteusz Paprocki, believes that the case will create a "precedent" in European law: a Croatian court will have to rule on a matter already settled in Poland, another EU member state.
Last year, a Polish court had refused to execute the European arrest warrant issued by Germany, arguing that it does not have jurisdiction and that the destruction of Nord Stream could be considered a justified action by Ukraine in a defensive war.
"It will be a case against the same person, with the same facts, the same laws and the same relevant European conventions and the same European arrest warrant, issued by the same country, Germany," Paprocki declared. "The question will be asked whether there is consistent case law among the courts or whether each country can apply international law differently."
He described the situation as "a test for the functioning of European law".
Political context of the Nord Stream case
The Polish court's decision in 2024 was in line with Warsaw's long-standing opposition to the pipeline project, perceived as a symbol of too-close relations between Berlin and Moscow in the mandates of several German chancellors. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared publicly: "The problem with Nord Stream 2 is not that it was blown up. The problem is that it was built."
The production company of the film "Snake Island" has not yet offered explanations regarding Zhuravlev's role in the production. It is not clear who alerted the authorities to his presence in Croatia. Paprocki confirmed that his client was not there on holiday. "He must have had serious and important reasons" to go there, said the lawyer, without providing further details. German newspaper Die Welt reported that there are indications that Zhuravlev was part of the film's production team.
Penn was not on set at the time reported by the press, but is said to have been seen inside the Esplanade Hotel, located on Mihanovićeva Street in the centre of Zagreb.
Source: News.ro