Croatia approves Ukrainian Nord Stream suspect’s extradition to Germany despite Polish refusal
The diver's lawyers plan to appeal in Croatia and international courts, while Zhuravliov plans to announce an indefinite hunger strike.
A Croatian court has ruled that Ukrainian diving instructor Volodymyr Zhuravliov may be extradited to Germany in connection with the September 2022 blasts that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, despite a Polish court refusing to extradite him last year. The pipelines, which were built to carry Russian gas to Germany while bypassing Ukraine, suffered damage during the blasts, causing major leaks in the Baltic Sea.
Poland's decision not to extradite Zhuravliov did not nullify Germany's EU-wide arrest warrant, allowing Croatia to proceed with the extradition request. The pipelines, constructed without Ukrainian involvement, were a point of contention between Russia and Germany. Zhuravliov, who is awaiting the written ruling from Croatian authorities, plans to go on an indefinite hunger strike.
His legal team argues that the Polish court's decision overlooked the earlier EU-wide warrant, which Germany amended in September 2025 to classify the incident as a war crime. The amendment prompted Croatia to postpone an earlier hearing. Germany's legal representatives claim Zhuravliov's involvement includes placing explosives on the pipelines, but he denies any wrongdoing.
Two other Ukrainian suspects, including Serhii Kuznietsov, have been arrested and extradited to Germany to face charges related to the explosions, though both deny involvement. The exact order behind the attack remains uncertain, with no court establishing responsibility.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
