- Currently, Germany has put a Ukrainian man on trial for the Nord Stream pipeline explosions.
- Volodymyr Zhuravlov was arrested in Croatia last August on suspicion of participating in the dives necessary for the sabotage.
- Last month, Croatia approved Zhuravlov's extradition, although the timing of this extradition remains unclear.
- In October 2025, a Polish court released Zhuravlov, ruling that the attack was "justified, rational and just".
Serhii K, the first suspect to face trial for the Nord Stream pipeline blasts, is accused of collaborating with Ukrainian military personnel to sabotage the pipelines, aiming to disrupt Russian gas revenue funding its war. He denies the charges, asserting his innocence.
The Nord Stream pipelines were damaged on September 26, 2022, in a significant act of sabotage that initially drew Western suspicion towards Moscow. However, investigations shifted focus to a group of deep-sea divers who had rented a yacht named Andromeda in Rostock, Germany, where traces of explosives were later found.1
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently denied Ukraine's involvement, stating the country had "nothing to do with [the Nord Stream blasts]." Nevertheless, German prosecutors allege that the plot was conceived under orders from Ukrainian state agencies, categorizing the act as a war crime under Germany's international law.
In a parallel case, Volodymyr Zhuravlov, another suspect, was released by a Polish court, which deemed the attack not unlawful and potentially justified if ordered by Ukraine. He was later arrested in Croatia and faces extradition, although the timeline remains uncertain. The Hamburg trial may incorporate his case, depending on the extradition outcome.234
The legal proceedings highlight the complexities surrounding the Nord Stream incident, intertwining international law, military actions, and geopolitical tensions in the region.
“The Polish court's October 2025 ruling that the attack was 'justified, rational and just' contrasts sharply with the German prosecution. Zhuravlov, arrested in Croatia last August, now awaits extradition, though its timing and potential link to the Hamburg trial remain unclear.”
BBC
