A Ukrainian man has been arrested in Croatia on suspicion of involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in September 2022.

German authorities allege that the suspect was one of the divers who planted explosives on the pipelines in September 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He is the second man to be arrested in connection with the case, which has strained relations between Kyiv and Berlin, which remains one of the main supporters of Ukraine’s war effort.

German prosecutors are now seeking the suspect’s extradition from Croatia.

They said he is a trained diver named Vladimir Z. The BBC reports, however, that he is believed to be Volodymyr Zhuravliov, who was arrested in Poland in 2025 over the same matter.

In that case, a Polish judge rejected the German extradition request, arguing that if Ukraine had been responsible for the attack, then it would have been a “just act.” Zhuravliov was subsequently released, causing a wave of surprise in the courtroom. He reacted with a smile.

The other suspect in the case is former Ukrainian serviceman Serhii Kuznetsov. He was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and later extradited to Germany, where he is due to stand trial. He has denied responsibility for the explosions. He appeared before a court in Hamburg in June.

Prosecutors allege that Kuznetsov led a group that used a yacht rented in Rostock, Germany, to plant explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea.

Only the Nord Stream 1 pipeline was operational at the time, as Nord Stream 2 had not yet been put into service, although it was almost complete.

Kyiv has repeatedly denied any involvement in the case.