Croatia Approves Extradition of Ukrainian Suspect in Nord Stream Pipeline Bombings
A Croatian court has approved the extradition of Vladimir Z., a Ukrainian man suspected in the 2022 undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The suspect, identified as a 'trained scuba diver,' allegedly planted explosives on the pipelines with others near the Danish island of Bornholm.
The explosions occurred on September 26, 2022, and damaged the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was Russia's main natural gas supply route to Germany until Moscow cut off supplies in August 2022. The suspect was arrested in Pula, Croatia on a European warrant in August, and will now be handed over to German authorities.
The German prosecutor's office had previously charged another suspect, Serhii K., a former Ukrainian army officer, in connection with the same explosions. He was extradited from Italy in November 2025 after being detained in an Italian village earlier that month.