German authorities have detained a Ukrainian man in Croatia on suspicion of involvement in the undersea explosions that ruptured three Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022, German prosecutors and international reporting confirm. Prosecutors say the suspect is alleged to have taken part in dives that placed explosives on the pipelines and that they are pursuing his extradition from Croatia to Germany to face charges including causing explosions and sabotage.
This arrest is described by authorities as the second in the investigation that has strained relations between Germany and Kyiv. The first suspect in the case, a former Ukrainian military officer, was arrested in Italy in 2025 and later extradited to Germany where he has denied responsibility and appeared in court. Media accounts note earlier legal developments in Poland, where a different Ukrainian suspect was detained in 2025 and a Polish judge refused a German extradition request.
German prosecutors have said their jurisdiction rests in part on the pipelines’ German landfall at Lubmin in Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern and have argued the blasts affected German energy security and internal safety. Kyiv has repeatedly denied involvement. The investigations follow international scrutiny of the 2022 detonations, which initially prompted speculation about multiple possible perpetrators. Extradition proceedings and further legal steps were reported to be pending after the recent detention in Croatia.
टिप्पणियां 0