Germany Seeks Arrest of Ukrainian Diver for Nord Stream Sabotage

By Rula Gabr

Cover Image Attribute: Gas bubbles from the Nord Stream 2 leak reaching surface of the Baltic Sea in the area shows disturbance of well over one kilometre diameter near Bornholm, Denmark, September 27, 2022 / Source: Danish Defence Command Handout

Germany has issued a European arrest warrant for a Ukrainian diving instructor in connection with the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea, as reported by German media. According to reports, German investigators suspect that 44-year-old Volodymyr Zhuravlov was part of a team that placed explosive devices along the pipeline route transporting natural gas from Russia to Germany in September 2022. 
Zhuravlov is accused of hijacking the German-flagged Andromeda (MMSI: 211691470) yacht near the island of Rügen with two accomplices on September 26, 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The three allegedly instructed the yacht’s driver to take them to the location of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, where two of the men dived underwater and detonated Trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosives, causing ruptures that resulted in four leaks and released methane into the atmosphere. Zhuravlov was last known to reside in a village west of Warsaw, Poland, but is believed to have gone into hiding.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently denied any Ukrainian involvement in the sabotage that disrupted Russian gas exports to the European Union, severely impacting Moscow’s energy revenues. According to reports from Suddeutsche Zeitung, Die Zeit, and ARD, Volodymyr Z, a Ukrainian diving instructor suspected of involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline attack, was last known to have lived in Poland.
The Polish prosecutor’s office confirmed it received a German arrest warrant for Zhuravlov in June, but he had already returned to Ukraine last month. Authorities were unable to stop his departure due to a delay in the relevant information reaching the border guard. The German investigation has also identified two other Ukrainian diving instructors, a man and a woman, but no arrest warrants have been issued for them at this time.

Map Attribute: Sky News
On September 26, 2022, several explosions severely damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, leading to the discovery of four leaks. Nord Stream 1 had been a critical route for Russian natural gas to Germany, with a capacity of 63 billion cubic meters annually, while the similarly sized Nord Stream 2 was not yet operational. The pipelines were intended to bypass Ukraine's gas infrastructure, which had previously been essential for Russian gas exports to the EU.
Russia's gas sales to the EU were a major source of revenue until the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to political conflicts that nearly halted the trade. Both Russia and the West have accused each other of being behind the Nord Stream explosions, but neither side has admitted responsibility. Despite investigations by several countries, including Denmark and Sweden, no definitive conclusions have been reached, and the case remains unresolved.
In January 2023, Germany raided a ship suspected of being used to transport explosives for the Nord Stream pipeline attack and informed the United Nations that trained divers might have attached the devices at a depth of 70 to 80 meters. In March, The New York Times reported that U.S. officials had intelligence suggesting a "pro-Ukrainian group" carried out the blasts without President Zelenskyy's knowledge.
The potential impact of these findings on Germany's support for Ukraine remains uncertain. Although the German government has stated that these developments will not affect its relationship with Kyiv, the situation is being closely watched as it poses serious implications.

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