Ukrainian diver, suspected of involvement in the Nord Stream explosions, arrested in Croatia

German prosecutors announced the arrest of Vladimir Z., a Ukrainian citizen, in the city of Pula, Croatia, based on a European arrest warrant. This is the second suspect in the case of the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022.

In July, the Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany filed charges against Serhii K., a former Ukrainian officer, accused of acting on behalf of entities of the Ukrainian state. Vladimir Z., a professional diver, is said to have been part of the group led by Serhii K., which placed explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, near the Danish island of Bornholm.

The explosions, considered acts of sabotage, occurred in September 2022, affecting a crucial route for transporting Russian gas to Europe. Russia and Western states accused each other in the context of the tensions generated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.