NORD STREAM: Alleged Ukrainian Saboteur Speaks Out

IMAGE: Ukrainian National Volodymyr Zhuravlov, Germany’s Alleged Nord Stream  Saboteur

Last Friday, a Polish court turned down an extradition request for a Ukrainian national accused by Germany of being involved in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea back in September 2022. Polish officials apprehended Volodymyr Zhuravlov on September 30, following a European Union arrest warrant issued by Germany, where prosecutors suspect he was part of a skilled team of Ukrainian divers responsible for the explosions that damaged the underwater pipelines. However, in a recent interview with TVP INFO, Zhuravlov categorically denied Germany’s accusations. The Warsaw District Court dismissed the German request and ordered Zhuravlov’s release. 

VIDEO: English dubbed interview with alleged Nord Stream saboteur | Ukrainian national Volodymyr Zhuravlov categorically denies blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Input from Zhuravlov’s attorney, Tymoteusz Paprocki  (Source: TVP INFO)

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During the interview, Zhuravlov’s attorney, Tymoteusz Paprocki, asserted that his client had “not committed any crime against Germany” and “refuted any connection to the explosions.” Additionally, Germany failed to present substantial evidence of guilt that would persuade the judge to extradite the 49-year-old Ukrainian. According to Paprocki, the Germans only provided several statements and certificates regarding the proceedings, but no documents that would indicate that a crime was perpetrated or establish their suspicions.  Zhuravlov shared that he has been diving for 15 years primarily as a pastime, with a special interest in cave diving, and that he relocated to Poland with his family just before the Russian invasion in February 2022, where he runs a construction business. 

According to German outlet Zie Welt, Zhuravlov refuses to answer any questions about his military past; meanwhile, during the interview, Zhuravlov confirms that the War in Ukraine started in 2014 and that everyone knew by 2022 that the conflict was about to escalate, which motivated him to move with his three children and his wife to Poland for safety purposes.

Perhaps the most troubling statement made during this interview was Zhuravlov’s lawyer’s claim that ” the Council of the European Union designated the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines as combat or military infrastructure of the Russian Federation”, a fact that is simply not supported by any of the documents related to sanctions imposed on Russia.

The EU’s justification for the ban is that the Nord Stream pipelines are part of Russia’s ability to wield energy supply as leverage (both economic and geopolitical) and that restarting them could help fund or enable Russian military action. But that is different from classifying the pipelines themselves as military infrastructure in the formal sense of “weapons, combat systems or military bases”. So while the pipelines are being treated by the EU as strategic infrastructure subject to war‑related sanction measures, they are not legally designated as Russian military or combat infrastructure.

Paprocki’s statement is far from being innocent, as it clearly indicates a legal path for lawyers to justify an act of terrorism against a critical underwater infrastructure in Europe, by simply pushing the idea that the Nord Stream pipelines were a legitimate target in the context of an armed conflict. To better understand if an alleged Ukrainian attack against the Nord Stream pipelines violates the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC), we invite our readers to review the following report by legal scholar, Dr Alexander Lott, titled “Did an Alleged Ukrainian Attack against the Nord Stream Pipelines Violate the LOAC?”. The short report was published by the NCLOS Blog on November 21, 2023 and illustrates how the legality surrounding the Nord Stream explosions can be evaluated through the lens of the law of armed conflict. It discusses whether a purported Ukrainian strike on the Nord Stream pipelines breached the law of armed conflict within the broader context of the ongoing international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Additionally, it analyses the legal status of the Nord Stream pipelines as a valid military target and the environmental factors related to the sabotage of these pipelines.

We believe it will be very hard for anyone to portray Dr Alexander Lott as a pro-Russian scholar. His impeccable academic record, as well as the neutrality displayed in his report,  gave us enough satisfaction to cite his study.

DOCUMENT: Did an Alleged Ukrainian Attack against the Nord Stream Pipelines Violate the Law of Armed Conflict? By: Alexander Lott (Marie Curie research fellow at the Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea) | Matter commented on: The Nord Stream Explosions in the Baltic Sea (Source: The NCLOS Blog)
Alexander-Lott-NCLOS-Blog_Nord-Stream-Jus-in-Bello-Case-Study_-Final

Ultimately, the report concludes that the attack allegedly linking Ukraine to the Nord Stream pipelines did not comply with the law of armed conflict. Furthermore, the supply of natural gas from the Russian Federation to Germany had ceased by the time the Nord Stream pipelines were damaged (refer to here and here). Consequently, at the moment of the assault, the pipelines were not delivering resources and did not aid the war-supporting activities of the Russian Federation, the report indicates.

As for Judge Łubowski, in court, he noted that the act Zhuravlov is charged with was reportedly carried out amid Russia’s “brutal and genocidal assault on Ukraine,” using a strong choice of words. He further stated that “during times of war, the destruction of enemy infrastructure by military forces should not be viewed as a crime, but rather as an act of sabotage” adding, “Nonetheless, actions taken by military and special forces during wartime against the critical infrastructure of the aggressor are not merely sabotage; they are acts of sabotage that, under any circumstances, cannot be deemed criminal.” Judge Łubowski remarked:

“In other words, if Ukraine, the special forces, and the fugitive, which the court does not determine, organized an armed mission to destroy enemy pipelines, then these actions were not unlawful. On the contrary, they were justified, rational, and just” 

In his verdict, Warsaw district court judge Dariusz Lubowski said:

“The person being prosecuted, if he were the perpetrator, is entitled to functional immunity which covers an act committed in connection with his activities for the Ukrainian state,” adding, “If Ukraine was indeed the organiser of this act of aggression, then only Ukraine can be held responsible for this event”

This ruling set up a dangerous precedent, as up until now, the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) within the EU has been nearly automatic, particularly when it did not involve a citizen of the country that issued the request. Furthermore, the ruling will likely trigger the principle of retaliation, in the event that Poland requests Germany to extradite a wanted criminal to its territory. However, what is essential to understand is, that in this case, where politic and justice intertwine, the court is promoting the notion that military objectives encompass civilian structures that aid a warring nation’s ability to sustain its conflict, a view that is certainly not unanimously supported by the Newport Manual on the Law of Naval Warfare, and does not apply in the case of the Nord Stream sabotage as per the aformentioned stated reasons. A cynical person might wonder about the real reasons driving Poland’s clear attempt to undermine the German investigation and protect a very unlikely terrorist.  What is Poland hiding? Do they know something people are not aware?

Reportedly, German prosecutors claim to have uncovered a small group of skilled Ukrainian divers and covert operatives who rented the yacht ‘Andromeda’ from the Rostock port to sail to the Nord Stream gas pipelines situated within the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of Denmark and Sweden, where they purportedly planted explosive devices to obliterate them. However, the Ukrainian authorities have consistently denied any connection to the Nord Stream explosions. The ruling from the Polish court comes after Italy’s highest court made a decision last week that overturned a previous judgment allowing the extradition of Sergiy Kuznietsov, another Ukrainian national suspected by Germany to have been involved in the sabotage. It seems that no one is interested in what the Ukrainians have to say.  Do they know something that would compromise the German narrative or implicate other state actors?

In a press release issued on Monday, the European Council announced that starting from January 1, 2026, imports of Russian gas will be banned, although a transition period will be allowed for current contracts. Specifically, short-term agreements made before June 17, 2025, can remain in effect until June 17, 2026, while long-term contracts may extend until January 1, 2028.

The Polish court’s decision to release Volodymyr Zhuravlov provides a fresh perspective on the narrative constructed by devoted international mainstream media and the German prosecution, who appear to be stalling while frantically pursuing Ukrainian divers to strengthen their case. Perhaps the truth will begin to dawn on the prosecutors, who must have come to appreciate that their intricate ‘Andromeda’ tale is not convincing anyone, and that the true criminals could still be at large.

Not only is the Ukrainian narrative losing steam, but it also gives the impression as if it was concocted to divert and dissuade the public from confronting the glaring issue at hand: the likely involvement of NATO members in this reckless act of terrorism, alongside what appears to be a significant attempt from Germany and Poland to obscure the true identities of the perpetrators…

21st Century Wire Exclusive Nord Stream investigative report: Nord Stream Revelation –Submarines in the ‘NATO Lake’ – Read more Nord Stream reports at 21st Century Wire.

IMAGE: Warsaw District Court in Poland refuses to extradite Volodymyr Zhuravlov, the alleged Ukrainian Nord Stream saboteur, to Germany (Source: Noted From Poland)

Daniel Tilles writes for Notes from Poland…

“I did not blow up Nord Stream,” says suspect in first interview after extradition ruling

A Ukrainian man in Poland, who German prosecutors accuse of involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, which used to bring Russian gas to Germany, has given his first interview.

Speaking to Polish state broadcaster TVP shortly after a Warsaw court on Friday refused to extradite him to Germany, Volodymyr Zhuravlov said: “I did not blow up Nord Stream.”

Zhuravlov revealed that the first time he had learned that he was a suspect in the case was last year, when a search of his home was carried out by officers of Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) along with four German colleagues. The Ukrainian, who has lived in Poland since 2022 and gave the interview in fluent Polish, told TVP that he had not been at home at the time but that the officials seized all of his diving gear.

German prosecutors reportedly believe that Zhuravlov was one of the divers who planted explosives on the pipelines in 2022, rendering them inoperable. Speaking to TVP, he described diving as a “hobby” and said that he has been practising for around 15 years.

Zhuravlov was detained last month by the Polish authorities, acting on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Germany. It was then up to Warsaw’s district court to decide whether there were grounds to extradite Zhuravlov to Germany. On Friday, it was decided that he should not be extradited, though that decision can still be appealed.

In justification for the ruling, the judge, Dariusz Łubowski, said that the act of attacking enemy infrastructure for the purposes of fighting “a just, defensive war…can under no circumstances constitute a crime”.

The Polish judge’s justification for not extraditing the Nord Stream sabotage suspect to Germany:

“Blowing up infrastructure…in a just, defensive war…is not sabotage but military action…that under no circumstances constitutes a crime…On the contrary, it is justified” https://t.co/7IzNv2qgwV

— Daniel Tilles (@danieltilles1) October 17, 2025

Speaking to TVP alongside Zhuravlov, his lawyer, Tymoteusz Paprocki, praised the court for “making a very clear distinction [between]…who is the aggressor and who is the victim”.

“This decision is extremely important, not only from the perspective of Ukrainian citizens in the European Union, but I believe it shapes a certain line of jurisprudence in general,” he added.

Paprocki also said that “the German side did not present any evidence [to the Polish authorities] that would indicate possible perpetration” of the crime by his client. “Germany did not substantiate or prove the allegations levelled against Volodymyr in any way.”

The lawyer noted, however, that Germany’s European Arrest Warrant against Zhuravlov is still in place, meaning his client could be similarly detained and face an extradition hearing if he visits another EU country.

Polish PM @donaldtusk says it is “not in the interest of Poland or of decency and justice” to extradite to Germany the Ukrainian man recently detained on a European Arrest Warrant for his alleged involvement in sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines https://t.co/W2Yfm4CcCn

— Notes from Poland (@notesfrompoland) October 8, 2025

The Polish court’s decision was welcomed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who last week had declared that it was “not in Poland’s interest, or in the interest of a simple sense of decency and justice, to charge or extradite this citizen to another country”.

However, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister of Hungary, which enjoys warm relations with Russia, criticised Polish leaders for “celebrating a terrorist” and the Polish court for effectively “giving permission for terrorist attacks in Europe”.

Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, meanwhile, said that he “respects [the court’s decision] because we recognise the separation of powers” and “it is not the executive branch’s role to interfere”.

Earlier this week, Italy’s top court also blocked the extradition to Germany of another Ukrainian suspected of involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage.

“Poland is celebrating a terrorist,” writes Hungary’s foreign minister in response to Donald Tusk welcoming today’s decision by a Polish court not to extradite the Nord Stream sabotage suspect to Germany pic.twitter.com/Umj8f3IoH3

— Notes from Poland (@notesfrompoland) October 17, 2025

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Source: https://21stcenturywire.com/2025/10/21/nord-stream-alleged-ukrainian-saboteur-speaks-out/