A Ukrainian man has been arrested in Croatia over the September 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, marking the second Ukrainian suspect held in the case, according to German prosecutors.
Key facts
- A Ukrainian man was arrested in Croatia as part of the investigation into the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline bombings.
- He is alleged to have been one of the scuba divers who planted explosives on the pipelines in 2022, according to the BBC.
- Germany is expected to seek the suspect's extradition, according to the Guardian.
- He is the second Ukrainian suspect arrested, following an ex-army officer held a year earlier and transferred to Germany, according to Al Jazeera.
- Undersea explosions in September 2022 damaged three of the four Nord Stream pipelines built to carry Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea.
A Ukrainian man has been arrested in Croatia as part of the investigation into the 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which were built to carry Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, the Guardian reported.
The man is alleged to have been one of the scuba divers who planted explosives on the pipelines in 2022, according to the BBC. German prosecutors said the arrest is part of the ongoing inquiry into the attack.
According to the Guardian, Berlin is expected to seek the suspect’s extradition in connection with the 2022 explosions that damaged the gas pipelines linking Germany and Russia.
The undersea explosions took place in September 2022, just months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Guardian reported that the blasts damaged three of the four pipelines constructed to carry Russian fossil gas to Germany.
Sky News reported that the man is a second Ukrainian suspect to be arrested over the attack, citing German prosecutors. Al Jazeera reported that the arrest in Croatia came a year after another suspect, an ex-army officer, was held and transferred to Germany.
The developments add to a series of arrests in the long-running international investigation into who was responsible for one of the most significant acts of sabotage on European energy infrastructure in recent years.
Why it matters
The Nord Stream pipelines were central to Europe's energy supply from Russia, and their destruction reshaped the continent's energy landscape after the invasion of Ukraine. Arrests of Ukrainian suspects raise sensitive questions about accountability for the sabotage and could affect diplomatic relations between Germany, Ukraine and other European states.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Nord Stream explosions happen?
The undersea explosions occurred in September 2022, just months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the Guardian.
How many pipelines were damaged?
According to the Guardian, the blasts damaged three of the four pipelines built to carry Russian fossil gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea.
Is this the first arrest in the case?
No. Sky News reported this is the second Ukrainian suspect arrested, and Al Jazeera said an earlier suspect, an ex-army officer, was held a year before and transferred to Germany.