Croatia orders detention of Ukrainian man wanted in Germany for Nord Stream blasts in 2022

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — A Croatian judge on Thursday ordered the detention of a Ukrainian man wanted in Germany for his involvement in the 2022 undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, according to his lawyer. The man was apprehended on a European warrant in Pula, northern Croatia, on Wednesday and questioned by prosecutors who sought his detention pending extradition proceedings, reported state broadcaster HRT.

His attorney, Matija Milos, stated that they would appeal the detention order. It remains unclear how long the extradition process in Croatia could take. German authorities have described the suspect as a "trained scuba diver" who was part of a group responsible for planting explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea near Denmark's Bornholm island.

On September 26, 2022, the undersea explosions damaged the pipelines, exacerbating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. European nations have been seeking to reduce their reliance on Russian energy following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The German prosecutor's office identified the suspect as Vladimir Z., but confirmed to the AP that he is the same individual arrested in Poland last year, now known as Volodymyr Zhuravlov in Poland.

Poland had previously refused to extradite him to Germany. Last month, German federal prosecutors charged a former Ukrainian army officer in connection with the same explosions; he was extradited to Germany in November. The suspects reportedly used a yacht that departed from Rostock, Germany, which had been rented under false identities and through intermediaries.

The explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, Russia's principal natural gas conduit to Germany until Moscow halted supplies in August 2022. They also caused damage to Nord Stream 2, which Germany had suspended certification for prior to Russia's invasion. Initially, some Western officials suspected Russia of carrying out the explosions, but German investigators later attributed the blame to Ukrainian involvement.

Russia has denounced the U.S. for orchestrating the blasts, a claim Washington has rejected. The pipelines have long been a target of criticism by the U.S. and its allies, who warned of heightened dependence on Russian gas.