German prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian man in connection with the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, according to German media reports on Wednesday. Polish prosecutors have confirmed they received the warrant. Since the mysterious explosions two years ago, there has been widespread speculation about the perpetrators, with both Ukraine and Russia denying any involvement. However, German media now report that a European arrest warrant has been sought for a Ukrainian diving instructor, whose last known address was in Poland. The Polish prosecutor's office informed AFP that they received the warrant for a man named "Volodymyr Z." in June, related to proceedings in Germany. The man, however, had left for Ukraine in early July, prior to any potential detention.
German investigators suspect that Volodymyr Z. was one of the divers who planted explosive devices on the Nord Stream pipelines, as reported by ARD broadcaster and newspapers Die Zeit and Sueddeutsche Zeitung. They have also identified two additional Ukrainians, a man and a woman, believed to be a married couple who operate a diving school in Ukraine, who they suspect were also involved in the attacks. No arrest warrants have been issued for these individuals yet. Both Volodymyr Z. and the woman in question have denied any involvement, according to different German media outlets. The German federal prosecution service declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
German government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner did not directly comment on the reports but emphasized that German prosecutors' investigations are conducted lawfully, regardless of the individuals involved or the outcomes. Buechner stated at a press conference that the investigation's results do not alter the fact that Russia is waging an illegal war against Ukraine. Polish prosecutors explained that the suspect was able to leave Poland because German investigators did not include him in the database of wanted persons. The Polish Border Guard had no knowledge or grounds to detain Volodymyr Z.
The Nord Stream pipelines have been a focal point of geopolitical tensions, with Russia reducing gas supplies to Europe in response to Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. In September 2022, four large gas leaks were discovered in the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm, accompanied by two underwater explosions recorded by seismic institutes. The pipelines, which were not in operation at the time, still contained gas that was released into the atmosphere. The Ukrainian suspects are alleged to have transported the explosives used in the attack via a sailing yacht named the Andromeda, which was searched by German investigators in January 2023.
According to reports, a team of five men and one woman chartered the yacht from Rostock port to execute the operation. In June 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asserted that Kyiv had no knowledge of any plan to sabotage the pipelines. In an interview with Germany's Bild daily, Zelensky stated, "I did nothing like that. I would never do that." Denmark, Sweden, and Germany all initiated investigations into the explosions, although Denmark and Sweden have since closed their inquiries.
