Nord Stream: Second suspect arrested over pipeline blasts

German prosecutors have announced the arrest of a second suspect in connection with the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions, according to sources. The Ukrainian national, Vladimir Z., was apprehended in Pula, Croatia, on the authority of a European arrest warrant, according to prosecutors. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office highlighted that the detainee, a trained scuba diver, is strongly suspected of jointly orchestrating the blasts.

Previously, another Ukrainian national was arrested in Italy in 2023, as reported. The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, intended for transporting Russian gas to Germany and other European nations, suffered significant damage from explosions in September 2022. Unserviceable following the blasts, the sabotage unfolded shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Germany suspects the sabotage was directed by unidentified Ukrainian state entities, though Kyiv has not acknowledged any role.