Germany adds "war crime" charge to arrest warrant for Ukrainian in Nord Stream case; Croatia hearing postponed
Germany has updated the European arrest warrant for Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Zhuravlov, adding a "war crime" qualification to the existing case over the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. A Croatian court hearing on his extradition to Germany, scheduled for September 4, was postponed as a result of the updated warrant. The information was announced by the law firm "Katerynchuk, Moor i partnery," which is representing Zhuravlov.
Key points
- Germany added a "war crime" qualification to the European arrest warrant for Ukrainian Volodymyr Zhuravlov.
- A Croatian extradition hearing set for September 4 was postponed following the warrant update.
- The defense announcement came from the law firm "Katerynchuk, Moor i partnery," representing Zhuravlov.
- Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office announced Zhuravlov's arrest in Croatia on August 19.
- He had twice previously avoided arrest and extradition to Germany.
- Another Ukrainian suspect, Serhiy Kuznetsov, is in custody in Germany; he was arrested in Italy the previous summer and formally charged in late June 2026.
Why it matters
The "war crime" addition raises the legal stakes for Zhuravlov and signals that German prosecutors are broadening the framing of the Nord Stream sabotage. Because German authorities allege the suspects acted as Ukrainian servicemembers, the case carries potential diplomatic implications for Ukraine. The postponement of the Croatian extradition hearing prolongs the legal uncertainty around Zhuravlov.
What happened
Germany updated the European arrest warrant for Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Zhuravlov in the Nord Stream sabotage case, adding a "war crime" qualification. The change led to the postponement of his extradition hearing in Croatia, which had been scheduled for September 4. The information was announced by the law firm "Katerynchuk, Moor i partnery," which is representing Zhuravlov as the defense. Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office announced his arrest in Croatia on August 19. According to media reports, Zhuravlov was arrested while filming a Hollywood movie about the sabotage titled "Ostriv Zmiinyi" ("Snake Island"). He had twice previously avoided arrest and extradition to Germany.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language media coverage centers on the defense-side announcement from the law firm "Katerynchuk, Moor i partnery" and on the procedural details of the warrant update and the postponed Croatian hearing. Coverage also foregrounds the unusual circumstance of Zhuravlov's arrest in Croatia while filming a Hollywood movie titled "Ostriv Zmiinyi" ("Snake Island").
Background
Volodymyr Zhuravlov is considered by Germany to be involved in the 2022 sabotage of the Russian Nord Stream pipelines. He had twice previously avoided arrest and extradition to Germany before being detained in Croatia on August 19. Another Ukrainian suspect, Serhiy Kuznetsov, was arrested in Italy the previous summer and is already in German custody; in late June 2026 the German Federal Prosecutor's Office formally charged him, alleging he and other group members acted as Ukrainian military servicemembers.