New stage of international investigation: arrest in Pula
August 19, 2026, became a key date in the case of the sabotage of the 'Nord Stream' and 'Nord Stream 2' gas pipelines. In the Croatian city of Pula, local law enforcement officers, coordinated by the Police Headquarters in Zagreb, detained a Ukrainian citizen, whom the German Federal Prosecutor's Office identifies as 'Vladimir Z.'. This is the second detainee in this case after Sergei Kuznetsov, who has been in custody in Germany since the summer of 2025. The arrest was made based on a warrant issued by German authorities back in June 2024.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany states there are 'significant suspicions' of Vladimir Z.'s involvement in organizing the explosion, sabotage, and damage to critical infrastructure. According to the investigation, he was part of a Ukrainian sabotage group that allegedly planted explosives under the branches of the Russian gas pipeline. After extradition from Croatia, the suspect will appear before a judge of the Federal Court of Justice of Germany.
