A Ukrainian national, identified as Volodymyr Z, has been arrested in Poland in connection with the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea. The arrest was made under a European arrest warrant in a town near Warsaw, according to his lawyer. The incident, which occurred during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, saw three of the four Nord Stream pipelines ruptured by explosives, cutting off a crucial natural gas supply to Europe amidst an energy crisis. The explosions remain shrouded in mystery, with no party claiming responsibility. Ukraine denied involvement, while Russia faced Western suspicion and accused the US and UK. German prosecutors issued their first arrest warrant in August 2024, naming Volodymyr Z as a suspect. Reports suggest he was a diving instructor living near Warsaw, but authorities had previously been unable to locate him. This arrest follows the detention of another Ukrainian national, Serhii K, in Italy last month, who is accused of coordinating the attack. Prosecutors believe the suspects were part of a team that sailed a yacht from Rostock, Germany, to the Baltic Sea near Bornholm. German reports indicate that seven suspects have been identified, with one since deceased. Investigations by Germany, Denmark, and Sweden have yet to link any state to the attacks.
