Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream sabotage seeks asylum in Croatia to avoid extradition to Germany
Volodymyr Zhuravlov, a Ukrainian citizen suspected by German investigators of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, has applied for political asylum in Croatia, his lawyer Mykola Katerynchuk said. The asylum request comes after a district court in Pula ruled to allow his extradition to Germany, a decision the defense is appealing. Zhuravlov justified the request by saying he would not receive a fair trial in Germany.
Key points
- Volodymyr Zhuravlov applied for political asylum in Croatia, citing expected unfair trial in Germany
- A district court in Pula earlier ruled to allow his extradition to Germany; the defense is appealing
- Lawyer Mykola Katerynchuk said the asylum request does not automatically halt the extradition process
- Zhuravlov was detained in Pula on 19 August on a European arrest warrant issued by Germany
- Germany charges him with co-organizing an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage and destruction of civilian structures
- He is a 46-year-old professional diver, detained while working as a consultant on a Hollywood film about the sabotage
- In October 2025, a Warsaw court refused a prior German extradition request and ordered his release
Why it matters
The asylum request adds a new legal obstacle to Germany's effort to extradite Zhuravlov, prolonging a case already marked by political sensitivity. Poland previously refused a German extradition request for him in 2025, and Ukraine has officially denied any state involvement in the sabotage. The episode underscores the politically charged character of the proceedings and the unusual backdrop of the suspect working on a Hollywood film about the very incident he is accused of carrying out.
What happened
Volodymyr Zhuravlov, a 46-year-old Ukrainian professional diver, applied for political asylum in Croatia while held on a European arrest warrant issued by Germany in connection with the September 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines. German prosecutors say he was one of the divers who placed explosives on the pipelines in the Baltic Sea; Zhuravlov denies involvement, claiming he was in Ukraine at the time. A district court in Pula ruled to allow his extradition to Germany, but his lawyer Mykola Katerynchuk said the defense is appealing that decision. The lawyer said the asylum request does not automatically halt the extradition process and that Zhuravlov justified the application by saying he would not receive a fair trial in Germany. He was detained on 19 August while working as a consultant on a Hollywood film about the sabotage. Germany has charged him with co-organizing an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage, and destruction of civilian structures; a second warrant reportedly added a war crimes charge.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage emphasizes Zhuravlov's Ukrainian nationality, his Ukrainian defense lawyer, and his claim that he would not receive a fair trial in Germany. The reporting highlights the defense's framing of the Pula court's extradition ruling as "biased" and "political," and stresses Zhuravlov's denial of involvement, including his claim that he was in Ukraine when the sabotage occurred. Ukrainian outlets also cite Poland's earlier refusal to extradite him and Ukraine's official position that it found no evidence of Ukrainian state involvement in the case.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ on the number of Ukrainian suspects identified or wanted by Germany: most say arrest warrants were issued for six Ukrainians, while one says five, and others note that seven individuals were identified in total. Sources also differ on the precise date of the Pula court's extradition ruling, with one source dating it to 18 September 2026 and another describing the ruling as having been made "earlier" without specifying the date. The start date of Serhiy Kuznetsov's trial in Hamburg is reported variously as "end of October" or "approximately 26 October."
Background
On the night of 26 September 2022, three of the four strings of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were destroyed by underwater explosions in the Baltic Sea near Bornholm; only one string remained undamaged. Denmark and Sweden closed their investigations in 2024 citing insufficient grounds. In August 2025, German investigators issued arrest warrants for six Ukrainian citizens, naming Serhiy Kuznetsov as the alleged leader of the group acting on instructions from Ukrainian state bodies; Germany has not formally accused the Ukrainian government of organizing the sabotage. Kuznetsov was detained in Italy in August 2025, extradited to Germany in November 2025, and formally indicted on 1 July 2026; his trial is scheduled for late October in Hamburg. Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General stated on 9 July that it found no evidence of Ukrainian state involvement. Zhuravlov was previously detained in Poland on a German warrant in 2024 and again on 30 September 2025; a Warsaw court refused extradition in October 2025. Russia has accused Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom of responsibility; Ukraine, Poland, the United States and the United Kingdom have denied involvement. The Wall Street Journal reported that the operation was planned by senior Ukrainian military and business figures and carried out from a sailing yacht.