Polish court arrests Ukrainian in Nord Stream case

A Warsaw court has ordered the detention of a Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. He will remain in custody pending extradition proceedings to Germany.

The story was reported by Polskie Radio.

Arrest in Warsaw

Ukrainian diver Volodymyr Zhuravlov was detained in the Polish city of Pruszków on a warrant issued by German prosecutors. The Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office petitioned the court to hold him in custody for seven days to begin the extradition procedure to Germany. He is suspected of damaging the Nord Stream pipeline in the fall of 2022.

According to Warsaw district prosecutor’s spokesman Piotr Antoni Skiba, "After receiving the documentation, further actions will be taken, in particular the prosecutor’s office will prepare a request for the man’s extradition to the German side under the European arrest warrant."

The suspect is wanted under a European arrest warrant issued by the Federal Court in Karlsruhe, where he is accused of constitutional sabotage, property damage, and destruction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

On Wednesday, the Warsaw District Court agreed with the prosecution and ordered his detention. A final decision on his extradition to Germany will be made after reviewing the case files, a process that could take up to 100 days.

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