A Ukrainian diving instructor accused of involvement in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines is set for extradition to Germany. Polish authorities arrested the individual, identified as Vladimir Z., in Pruszkow and will transfer him to Warsaw for legal proceedings. His lawyer claimed there are no legal grounds for his handover.
The suspect, named by media outlets as Vladimir Zhuravlyov, was part of a seven-member group linked to the yacht Andromeda, which German prosecutors connected to the underwater pipeline explosions. Moscow accused Western nations of obstructing the investigation and avoiding accountability for state actors. Earlier this year, Polish officials reportedly delayed Germany’s 2024 extradition request, with reports suggesting a Ukrainian diplomatic vehicle facilitated Zhuravlyov’s escape after he received advance warning.
Poland considered granting asylum to Zhuravlyov, with an official calling him “a hero.” Last month, Italian police arrested another suspected member of the group, Sergey Kuznetsov, under a European arrest warrant issued by German prosecutors.