The Role of Gazprom and Russian State Ownership in the Defense Strategy for the Ukrainian Nord Stream Suspects

Polish authorities have arrested a Ukrainian diver suspected of involvement in the 2022 undersea explosions that severely damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, which run from Russia to Germany. The suspect, identified as Volodymyr Z., was detained in Pruszkow, central Poland, on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued by German authorities who are investigating the sabotage. This arrest marks a significant development in the high-stakes international inquiry into the blasts that occurred seven months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, disrupting a major Russian gas supply route to Europe.

German federal prosecutors allege that Volodymyr Z., described as a trained diver, was part of a group that used a sailing yacht, rented with forged documents, to travel from the German port of Rostock into the Baltic Sea near the Danish island of Bornholm. It is suspected that the group carried out dives from the yacht to place the explosives that ultimately detonated on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines on September 26, 2022. The explosions, widely viewed as an act of sabotage, caused major leaks and rendered three of the four pipelines inoperable. This incident added immense strain to European energy security and global diplomatic tensions.

The detention of Volodymyr Z. follows the arrest of another Ukrainian national, Serhii K., who was apprehended in Italy in August on suspicion of coordinating the attack. German investigators believe that Volodymyr Z. was one of the individuals who physically planted the explosives. The lawyer for Volodymyr Z. has stated that he will fight the extradition to Germany, arguing that the European arrest warrant is inadmissible given the context of the war in Ukraine and the fact that Nord Stream is majority owned by Gazprom, a Russian state company that finances the military operations. The defense suggests no Ukrainian citizen should face charges for action allegedly taken against Russian controlled infrastructure.

Polish prosecutors are currently reviewing the request for his temporary arrest and extradition to Germany. The German investigation is the only remaining probe after both Sweden and Denmark closed their inquiries without naming any suspects. The case remains diplomatically sensitive for Germany and other NATO allies who are staunch supporters of Ukraine against Russia’s aggression, especially as Ukraine has consistently denied any state involvement in the pipeline blasts. The ongoing proceedings in both Poland and Italy highlight the complexity of tracing responsibility for the sabotage that significantly impacted Europe’s energy landscape. A clearer picture of the operation and the level of state involvement, if any, is anticipated as the German investigation progresses.