The ruling, made last Friday, concerns Vladimir Z., who was arrested in August at a hotel in the Croatian coastal city of Pula under a European arrest warrant. His lawyer, Mykola Katerynchuk, called the decision biased and political and said an appeal would follow, according to Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne. The extradition has not yet taken place.
German prosecutors say Vladimir Z. was a scuba diver in a group behind the 2022 explosions. He has denied involvement. The blasts damaged Nord Stream 1, which carried Russian gas to Europe, and the Nord Stream 2 branch, which had not entered service. Russia and Western governments have described the explosions as sabotage.
German courts have asserted jurisdiction because the damaged pipelines terminate in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the destruction affected Germany’s energy security and internal safety. The Pula County Court confirmed that it had ruled but withheld further details while the parties consider their next legal steps.
A second suspect, former Ukrainian army officer Serhii K., was charged by German prosecutors in July with organising the blasts on behalf of Ukrainian state entities. He has also denied involvement. He was arrested in Italy in August 2025 and transferred to Germany in November that year.
The Croatian ruling is a step in the extradition process, not a finding of guilt. The court has not disclosed its reasoning, and an appeal could affect whether or when the transfer proceeds.